Two Pittsburgh Women Charged in Series of Bank Robberies across Allegheny County

PITTSBURGH, PA – Two residents of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges related to a series of bank robberies that occurred in West Mifflin, McCandless, Penn Hills and Bloomfield, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The five-count Superseding Indictment names Jasmine Parrish, 29, and Donna Poremski, 43, who had worked together in the home healthcare industry, as defendants.

According to the Superseding Indictment, Parrish and Poremski conspired to rob four (4) different PNC bank locations from January 2018, through November 21, 2018. The PNC banks are located at 452 Clairton Boulevard, 9805 McKnight Road, 206 Rodi Road, and 4761 Liberty Avenue. As alleged, during two of the bank robberies – in West Mifflin and McCandless – the women, who were dressed in disguises, displayed a handgun and forced the employees into the vault. As to the November 21, 2018 attempted bank robbery, in Bloomfield, Parrish is alleged to have worked at the bank prior to the bank robbery and waited in a car while another person attempted to rob the bank.

A total of $97,004.00 was taken from the West Mifflin, McCandless and Penn Hills PNC banks, during these robberies.

As to each of the armed bank robbery counts, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 25 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. As to each of the unarmed bank robbery counts, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Additionally, the law provides for a minimum sentence of not less than five years in prison and up to life, a fine of $250,000, or both, for the conspiracy offense. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, West Mifflin Borough Police Department, the McCandless Police Department, the Penn Hills Police Department and the City of Pittsburgh Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Jury Finds Two Guilty in Cocaine Trafficking Scheme

PITTSBURGH, PA—After deliberating two hours yesterday, a federal jury of six men and six women found Bradley Barndt and Franco Badini guilty of one count of violating federal narcotic laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

Bradley Barndt, 26, of Somerset, Pa., and Franco Badini, 39, of McKees Rocks, Pa., were tried before United States District Judge Terrence F. McVerry in Pittsburgh. Also, on Aug. 8, 2011, a co-defendant, David Curran, 28, of Upper St. Clair, Pa., pleaded guilty to four counts before Judge McVerry.

According to Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial and during the plea hearing established that Barndt, Badini, and Curran, from January 2009 to Dec. 15, 2009, conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. In addition, on Aug. 21, 2009, Oct. 3, 2009, and Oct. 29, 2009, Curran distributed cocaine.

Judge McVerry scheduled sentencing for Barndt and Badini on Dec. 1, 2011. Curran is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 9, 2011. The law provides for a total sentence of 10 years to life in prison, a fine of $4,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Pending sentencing, the court continued Barndt’s and Curran’s detention and revoked Badini’s bond.

The Drug Enforcement Administration including Task Force Officers Nick Falascino, Matt Truesdell, and Eric Harpster; the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police; the Pittsburgh Division of Weed and Seed; the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the United States Marshals Service; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Barndt, Badini, and Curran.

800 Police Officers

November 19, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists 801 state and local police officers who have written books. The 800th and 801st police officers listed are two brothers, who are both police officers, who have written a book on crime prevention.

Jim Lambert has been a first responder for over 27 years. He has spent over eight years in the first service as both a firefighter and a paramedic assistant. He began his law enforcement career over 17 years in law enforcement. In addition to working the street, as a police officer, he has worked in custody, as a K9 handler and on the SWAT team. His current assignment with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office (California) is with the Marine Patrol and Air Support Unit.

Mark Lambert is a 13 year veteran of the Pittsburg Police Department (California). He has been a patrol officer, K9 Handler and motor officer. The brothers, Jim Lambert and Mark Lambert are co-authors of CopTalk: Because What You Don't Know Will SHOCK You!

According to the book description, CopTalk: Because What You Don't Know Will SHOCK You, is a crime prevention book. CopTalk includes topics on: making your life and property safer; how to present you case in traffic court; the inner workings of a courtroom; how the average police officer thinks; how a criminal thinks; traffic quotas; and how to “to put the odds back in your favor against crime.”

The 799th police officer added to the website was Rob Pincus. Rob Pincus is currently a deputy sheriff with the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office (Colorado) where is he is a training officer. He has also worked in the private industry since 2001. In addition to being the Director of Operation for the Valhalla Shooting Club and Training Center he is a staff writer for SWAT Magazine and has contributed to many other publications including Tactical Response, Law & Order and Gun World magazines. Rob Pincus is a life member of the Law Enforcement Alliance of America and is a graduate of The Military College of Vermont. Rob Pincus is the author of Combat Focus Shooting.

According to the book description of Combat Focus Shooting, “Praised by experts and students alike for his practical approach to intuitive shooting techniques, Rob Pincus has brought his program into a skillfully written dialogue featuring sections including: Working with what the body does naturally, Background and Philosophy of Combat Focus Shooting, Combat (or Defensive) Accuracy, Combat Focus Range Drills, The Critical Incident Reload, Volume of Fire, and The Balance of Speed and Precision. Pincus' book covers the content and underlying principles of the revolutionary Combat Focus Shooting Course in their entirety. Combat Focus Shooting is the intuitive shooting program that is designed to work with what the body and mind do naturally during a dynamic critical incident. This program helps the shooter to learn the "Balance Between Speed & Precision" and use either sighted or unsighted fire as appropriate to get combat-accurate hits efficiently during a lethal force encounter.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 801 police officers (representing 362 police departments) and their 1708 law enforcement books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.