A man from Rhode Island, previously incarcerated for robbing multiple banks, received a nine-year federal prison sentence today for robbing four banks in just three days. Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom made the announcement.
Vaughn Watrous, aged 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to 108 months in prison, followed by one year of federal supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution of $4,775 to the victim banks.
Watrous had pleaded guilty to bank robbery charges on April 24, 2024. He admitted to robbing three banks located in Providence and Cranston over the course of January 19, 20, and 21, 2021. Furthermore, he attempted to rob a fourth bank in North Providence on January 21, 2021.
Court records reveal that Watrous had previous convictions for multiple bank robberies in 1997, 2003, and 2013. His first conviction was in 1997 at the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he was sentenced to 51 months for bank robbery. In 2003, he was convicted on two counts of bank robbery at the U.S. District Court in Providence and sentenced to 76 months. Again in October 2015, he faced conviction for four counts of bank robbery in Providence, leading to a 92-month incarceration sentence in February 2016.
The recent legal proceedings were managed by Assistant United States Attorneys Julianne Klein and John P. McAdams.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, aided by the police departments of Providence, Cranston, and North Providence.
