Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Aaron West, 38, of Westbrook, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to two counts of bank robbery. The charges arose from robberies in January 2018 and March 2019 of a credit union in Falmouth and a bank in Portland, respectively.
According to court records, on Jan. 31, 2018, the defendant entered the Cumberland County Federal Credit Union in Falmouth, Maine. Holding his right hand in his sweatshirt pocket in a manner consistent with carrying a concealed weapon, the defendant approached a teller and told her, “this is a robbery, no dye packs." The defendant obtained $16,250.00 in the robbery. The defendant was subsequently arrested for that robbery and a federal grand jury indicted him in November, 2018. West was released on bail. On March 14, 2019, the defendant became a fugitive from justice because he violated the conditions of his bail and a warrant issued for his arrest.
On March 18, 2019, while in fugitive status, the defendant entered a Norway Savings Bank in Portland, Maine. The defendant held his right hand in his sweatshirt pocket, in a manner consistent with carrying a concealed weapon. The defendant told the teller, “give me the money," and after first receiving a small amount of money, demanded “more" and threatened to “start shooting." The defendant obtained $1,400.00 in the robbery.
The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each robbery. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Falmouth, Portland and Westbrook Police Departments.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
