Former 'Most Wanted' Fugitive Sentenced To 20 Years For Oakland Bank Robbery

OAKLAND, N.J. — A man who was once on the FBI's 10 most Wanted Fugitive List was sentenced to 20 years in prison Wednesday for robbing a TD Bank in Oakland in April 2013, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

John Edward Stevens, 63, previously pleaded guilty in Newark Federal Court to armed bank robbery. U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi sentenced Stevens.

As part of his plea agreement, Stevens admitted that after entering the bank, he approached several bank employees carrying a pouch, opened it, and pulled out what appeared to be a handgun and brandished it at one of the bank employees, Fishman said.

Stevens took several thousands dollars in cash and fled the scene, authorities said.

RELATED: Career Bank Robber Held In Oakland Heist

About 20 minutes after the robbery, authorities say, Waldwick Police Sgt. Robert Woessner found Stevens traveling southbound on Route 17 when a license plate check revealed the Toyota Camry he was driving had been reported stolen the day before.

Stevens was arrested on the Paramus Road off-ramp in Ridgewood, where police said they discovered a handgun and a TD Bank bag filled with $4,658 in cash.

A career criminal, Stevens has been convicted of at least eight prior armed bank robberies in California and Ohio, Fishman said.

In addition to the 20-year sentence, Cecchi sentenced Stevens to three years of supervised release.

Send local news tips, photos, and press releases to daniel.hubbard@patch.com. Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.

Photos: An FBI file photo of John Edward Stevens and a booking photo by the Bergen County Sheriff's Office.