'Black Hat Bandit' Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery Charges

Thomas Anthony George, 65, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of using a firearm during the commission of armed bank robberies.

George was part of a group known as the Black Hat Bandits, accused of robbing nine banks — six in Northern Virginia, two in Maryland and one in DC.

The Black Hat Bandits are believed to be responsible for the following eight robberies committed between Jan. 2 and March 2:

• McLean: On Friday, Jan. 2, 2015, at approximately 10:50 a.m., a White male robbed the Bank of America located at 1369 Chain Bridge Road in McLean. The subject, wearing a partial facial disguise, entered the bank, brandished a weapon and robbed the bank.
• Fairfax: On Friday, Jan. 16, 2015, at approximately 3:17 p.m., two males entered the BB&T located at 8416 Arlington Blvd., in Fairfax and robbed the bank. One of the subjects brandished a firearm and demanded money from the tellers. The subjects fled on foot and entered a parking garage behind the bank.
• Vienna: On Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015, at approximately 2:53 p.m., two males entered the Bank of America located at 235 Maple Avenue West in Vienna and robbed the bank. Both subjects brandished weapons. One subject demanded money from the bank tellers. The subjects fled on foot to a nearby vehicle headed in the direction of Church Street.
• Arnold, Md.: On Friday, January 30, 2015, two men robbed the Essex Bank located at 1460 Ritchie Highway in Arnold, Md. Both subjects entered the bank carrying handguns. One robber was wearing a dark overcoat, sunglasses, a wide-brimmed black hat, a long fake beard and scarf. The other robber was wearing a dark ski jacket, white and black scarf covering his face and dark pants. After robbing the tellers, the subjects fled the bank in a nearby vehicle.
• Waldorf, Md.: On Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015, a white male subject entered the SunTrust Bank located at 3070 Leonardtown Road in Waldorf, Md., carrying a handgun. The subject was wearing a dark overcoat, sunglasses, a wide brimmed black hat, long fake beard and scarf. Witnesses described him as being about 5’8’ tall, in his early-to-mid 40s. The robber took the case from the teller and fled to a nearby vehicle.
• Vienna: On Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015, at approximately 3:12 pm, two subjects robbed a BB&T Bank located at 440 East Maple Avenue in Vienna, one was described as White male wearing all black with a black mask covering his face. Subject two was described as a Black male wearing all black with a black mask covering his face. Both subjects were carrying handguns.
• Sterling: Forty minutes later at 3:56 pm, the two subjects robbed the Wells Fargo Bank located at 47040 Community Plaza in Sterling. The subjects were again described as wearing black ski masks and all black clothing. One of the suspects put his gun to a customer’s head while demanding everyone to “get down,” and demanded money from a victim teller. In both robberies the subjects fled the banks with an undisclosed amount of money.
• Falls Church: On Monday, March 2, 2015, at approximately 12:44 pm, the Black Hat Bandits robbed the Wells Fargo Bank located at 1000 W. Broad St., in Falls Church. The two subjects were armed and described as males in their early forties between 5’7” and 5’9” in height. Both subjects were dressed in all black with black ski masks covering their faces. There were no injuries sustained.

In each of these robberies, George brandished a firearm at bank customers or employees of the bank, according to the Justice Department. In total, George and his co-conspirators stole approximately $182,104 during the nine bank robberies, according to the Justice Department.

On Friday, March 13, at approximately 2:23 p.m., a man later identified as George entered the Wells Fargo Bank located at 4302 Connecticut Ave, NW, in D.C. George was dressed in a blue jacket, sunglasses, gloves and a mask, the FBI said. The FBI says he was brandishing a black handgun and approached a bank teller, stating, three times: “Give me money or I’m going to kill a customer.”

George made away with $9,178, according to the search warrant. The robbery was captured on the bank’s surveillance cameras, the FBI said. After George exited the bank, he was seen by a law enforcement officer entering the passenger side of a black Chevrolet Suburban with a Maryland license plate.

Officers caught up with George at 1953 19th Place SE, Apt. 105, in D.C., where they arrested him with $3,950 in his pants pocket. Officers obtained a search warrant and found a black handgun in the apartment.

George waived his rights and admitted to robbing the Wells Fargo Bank located at 4302 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C., as well as the other eight banks in Virginia and Maryland, the FBI said.

The Washington Post noted that George is described in an FBI affidavit as a “career bank robber offender” convicted of robbing banks in the area three times — in 1988, 1993 and 1999.

George was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 19 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 32 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on Dec. 17, 2015.

The investigation was worked jointly by the FBI’s Washington and Baltimore Field Offices, Anne Arundel County Police Department, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Police Department, Falls Church Police Department, Loudoun County Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department, Vienna Police Department and Virginia State Police. Additional assistance was provided by Arlington County Police Department, Maryland State Police and the Montgomery County Police Department.

PHOTO of Black Hat Bandit bank robbery courtesy of FBI