Atlanta Man Gets Federal Prison Time for Armed Bank Robbery

An Atlanta man who pleaded guilty to robbing a bank at gunpoint earlier this year has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison for the crime.

Tavares Keith, 33, pleaded guilty on July 25 to charges related to an armed bank robbery he committed in Clayton County on March 10. He was sentenced to 19 years, seven months in federal prison and an additional five years of probation following his release. Keith, a career criminal, has been convicted of at least four previous felonies, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division said,

“This defendant terrorized bank employees and customers during an armed bank robbery, leaving lasting psychological scars,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates in a statement. “His violent actions earned the lengthy sentence the court imposed on him today.”

On March 10, Keith walked into the BB&T bank in Riverdale wearing a brown hoodie and a black ski mask, and carrying a loaded .40 caliber pistol. Keith threatened the bank manager and demanded money, but the manager said he had none. Keith was taken to the tellers, where he demanded cash. While Keith was busy with the tellers, the manager escaped and called police.

Riverdale police arrived at the bank just as Keith was making his escape. Officers followed on foot and captured Keith. The police found Keith’s hoodie, ski mask, and pistol, along with a cell phone and gloves. All of the $4,140 Keith stole was recovered.

“The quick response by the officers of the Riverdale Police Department set in motion not only the apprehension and prosecution of a career violent offender, but also to today’s sentencing and his removal from our streets for many years,” J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, said in a statement.

“The FBI commends those officers and prosecutors who ensured that Mr. Keith would be held accountable for his criminal career with today’s lengthy prison sentence.”