Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison: FBI

Thomas B. Peeler, 47, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for the armed robberies of a BB&T bank in Alexandria and a GameStop store in New Jersey, according to the FBI’s Washington field office. He was also ordered to pay $63,045.88 in restitution.

The Alexandria bank was located at 233 S. Van Dorn St. at Van Dorn Plaza.

Peeler pleaded guilty on Nov. 7, 2014. According to court documents, within nine months of being released from a 10-year federal prison sentence for a prior bank robbery, Peeler committed two armed robberies in Alexandria and one armed robbery in New Jersey, the FBI said. At sentencing, the court also noted that the defendant committed three additional robberies in New Jersey during this period of time.

As part of his plea agreement, the defendant admitted that he brandished a firearm and threatened to harm or kill employees during his robbery of BB&T bank on April 22, 2010 in Alexandria. Two citizens observed Peeler walking to a getaway car outside the BB&T bank after the robbery and noted the vehicle’s license plate.