Boston Man Charged with Bank Robbery

 Defendant, who is currently on supervised release for two prior bank robberies, removed his GPS monitoring bracelet before robbing another bank

BOSTON – A Boston man made an initial appearance today in federal court in Boston after he was charged with robbing a bank in Boston on Nov. 13, 2020. At the time, the defendant was on supervised release and on electronic monitoring, after being convicted of committing two bank robberies in 2016.

Stephen D. Williams, 56, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of bank robbery. Williams, who is currently on supervised release for two 2016 bank robberies, was arrested on state charges on Nov. 13, 2020. Williams was detained following an initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Judith Dein this afternoon.

According to court documents, in March 2018, Williams was sentenced to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to robbing two banks in 2016. In July 2020, Williams’s sentence was modified pursuant to a motion for compassionate release, and he was released from prison to home confinement on electronic monitoring.  According to the prosecutor at today’s hearing, Williams allegedly removed his court authorized electronic monitoring bracelet. 

According to charging documents, on Nov. 13, 2020, an individual wearing a grey knit cap, later identified as Williams, entered a branch of the Santander Bank in Boston. Williams passed the teller a note indicating a robbery and that he had a gun. The teller gave Williams $7,000 cash and Williams allegedly stuffed it into the pockets of the blue jacket he was wearing and exited the bank.

It is alleged that Williams was later observed a short distance from the bank counting money, removing his blue jacket and placing it into a black trash bag. A short time later, Williams was observed carrying the black trash bag. While Williams was being questioned by police, he dropped the trash bag and after a brief chase was arrested. Inside the black trash bag, a blue jacket, grey knit cap and a large sum of cash in excess of $7,000 was recovered.  

The charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  

​​United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; and Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

​​The details contained in charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.