Wells Fargo Bank Robber In DC Gets More Than 4 Years In Prison

WASHINGTON, DC — A federal judge sentenced a D.C. man on Wednesday to more than four years in prison for robbing Wells Fargo Bank branches in the District of Columbia, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Micheal Antonio Smith, 33, was sentenced to 51 months in prison after pleading guilty in June in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Smith pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery. A third count of attempted bank robbery was dismissed at sentencing as part of a plea agreement, the U.S. attorney's office said Thursday.

Following his prison term, Smith will be placed on three years of supervised release.

Smith robbed all three banks within a span of about two hours on Sept. 29, 2020, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. The first robbery took place at about 12:18 p.m. at a branch in the 3200 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE. The others took place at branches in the 600 block of H Street NE and the 1900 block of 14th Street NW.

According to the government’s evidence, Smith entered all three branches wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with a prominent BMW logo and a balaclava style face and head covering. In each bank, Smith presented a note to the demanding large bills and no dye pack.

During one of the robberies, Smith reached inside his sweatshirt in a way that suggested his possession of a handgun or other weapon, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Smith took the demand note with him after each robbery and robbed the three banks of $1,510 before fleeing D.C. in a rented Tesla Model S. The FBI was able to track the vehicle to Philadelphia, where Smith was arrested on Oct. 6, 2020.

During a search of the Tesla, FBI agents discovered and seized a gray hooded sweatshirt with a BMW logo and a demand note. Smith has been in custody since his arrest.

D.C. police said that Smith was captured on surveillance video at all three banks. Video from outside one of the banks showed Smith removing his hood and mask.

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