Upper Marlboro Man Pleads Guilty to String of Bank Robbery, Firearms Offenses

Greenbelt, Maryland - Wesley Phillip Wilson, Jr., 44, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pled guilty to several bank robbery offenses and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The string of armed bank robberies occurred in Maryland and Virginia.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland and Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - Washington, DC Field Office, Criminal Division; Chief George Nader, Prince George's County Police Department (PGPD); Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police; Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); Chief Douglas W. Keen, Manassas City Police Department; Colonel Peter Newsham, Chief, Prince William County Police Department (PWCPD); and Chief Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD).

According to the guilty plea, between November 19, 2020, and December 7, 2020, Wilson robbed four banks and attempted to rob another. On November 19, Wilson kicked off the spree by robbing approximately $1,570 from a Prince George's County, Maryland bank. During the robbery, Wilson approached a teller station and handed a teller a note that stated "Don't Be a Hero. I have a gun. No Dye packs tracers or devices in the bag. Do Not push alarm until I leave! If my scanner goes off someone will die. Only Large Bills. Hurry up!! Stay calm 20,000 Now." The bank teller initially gave Wilson $500, but he demanded more money, so the teller complied, giving him an additional $1,070.70.

Then on November 23, Wilson entered an Anne Arundel County, Maryland bank. Wilson approached the teller station and handed the teller a note that stated "Dont Panic. Put all the money in the bag. Don't hit the panic alarm until I leave or people will die. I have a gun…No dye packs or devices. Your on the clock. Don't Be A Hero!!" The teller complied, giving Wilson $2,709 before he fled.

On November 25, Wilson attempted to rob a Woodbridge, Virginia bank. Wilson approached the teller's station asking to make a withdrawal. He then tossed an envelope through the opening of the teller's plastic shield that stated "I have a gun don't Panic Do Not push the panic alarm until I leave and No one dies. Give me ALL the money from the drawer." Wilson then reached into his bag and brandished a black handgun in furtherance of the robbery. In response, the teller handed Wilson a withdrawal slip and responded to the threat by attempting to press the alarm button under the desk. As a result, Wilson fled without obtaining any funds from the bank.

Then on November 28, Wilson entered a Montgomery County, Maryland bank carrying a shopping bag. Wilson approached the teller station and handed over a note that read, "I have a gun. Do not panic. Give me all the money in the drawer." The teller complied, giving Wilson giving $3,000, which he placed in the shopping bag before fleeing.

On December 7, Wilson entered a Manassas, Virginia bank and approached the teller station. After a brief conversation, Wilson pointed a handgun at the teller, demanding everything in the top drawer. The teller complied giving Wilson the money. Then Wilson approached another bank employee and demanded money. The second employee also complied, emptying a drawer that contained cash and a GPS tracker onto the counter. As the employee put the money into envelopes, a customer entered the bank. Wilson then pointed the handgun at the employee, stating, "You have eight seconds." He then stuffed approximately $6,135 into a bag before fleeing.

Following the bank robbery, law enforcement utilized the GPS tracker to track the stolen money to a shopping center in Manassas, Virginia. Law enforcement found Wilson and informed him that they were detaining him in connection with the Prince William County bank robbery. As an officer placed his hands behind him, Wilson confessed. Upon approaching Wilson's vehicle, law enforcement spotted various piles of stolen cash inside and then officers eventually found additional stolen money in his pocket.

After Wilson's arrest law enforcement conducted an interview. During the interview, Wilson confessed to the four previous bank robberies and the one attempted bank robbery. Law enforcement searched Wilson's vehicle where officers discovered proceeds from previous robberies and the Polymer80 9mm handgun and ammunition he used in connection with the robberies.

Wilson is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the bank robbery charge and a maximum of 25 years for the armed bank robbery and attempted armed bank robbery charges. Additionally, Wilson faces a minimum of five years and maximum of life-consecutive to the bank robbery offenses-for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, PGPD, Anne Arundel County Police Department, MCPD, Manassas City Police Department, PWCPD, and FCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dawn Williams and Timothy F. Hagan, Jr., who are prosecuting this case, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney John Blanchard, Eastern District of Virginia, for his valuable assistance.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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