Boston Man Indicted for Bank Robbery

 Defendant was released from prison on compassionate release grounds following 2016 bank robbery conviction, deactivated his electronic monitoring bracelet

BOSTON – A Boston man was indicted yesterday for robbing a bank in Boston on Nov. 13, 2020. At the time of the offense, the defendant was on supervised release after being convicted of committing two bank robberies in 2016. 

Stephen D. Williams, 56, was indicted on 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. He was charged federally by criminal complaint on Nov. 18, 2020.

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.

While on home confinement, Williams deactivated his court ordered electronic monitoring bracelet and absconded.

It is alleged that, on Nov. 13, 2020, an individual, later determined to be Williams, wearing a grey knit cap and blue jacket, 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 in cash, which Williams allegedly stuffed it into the pockets of the blue jacket he was wearing and exited the bank.

Immediately following the robbery, police interviewed bank personal and put out an alert for Williams. According to court documents, 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 allegedly dropped the trash bag and after a brief chase was arrested. Inside the black trash bag law enforcement recovered a blue jacket, grey knit cap, a demand note alleging that he had a gun, blue latex gloves, a Massachusetts identification card in Williams’ name and a large sum of cash in excess of $7,000.

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. In addition to the above, Williams will also face a jail sentence for violating the terms of his previously imposed supervised release.   

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross 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.