PITTSBURGH — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Western), published as received.
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced to 8 years in prison on charges of Armed Bank Robbery and Using and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Demetrius Harris, 20.
According to the information provided at his change of plea, on November 1, 2019, Harris, Darion Fitzgerald, and Taevon Young drove from Ohio and robbed the First National Bank, an FDIC insured, located at 1030 Indiana Avenue, Farrell, PA 16121, of over $62,000. Harris and his co-defendant Fitzgerald entered the bank, armed with a rifle and a handgun, while Young acted as a lookout.
Upon entering the bank, Harris pulled out a handgun, and demanded money from multiple bank tellers. During the robbery, Fitzgerald and Harris switched firearms. Shortly thereafter, Fitzgerald and Harris exited the bank, Harris now carrying the rifle-style firearm and Fitzgerald carrying the handgun, and fled on foot. The robbers took approximately $62,000.
Harris was arrested after fleeing and discarding the rifle-style firearm. Harris was found with a backpack with a large sum of U.S. currency (approximately $55,000). A rifle-style firearm (Anderson Manufacturing, AM-15, Serial #: 16357936) was recovered in the woods next to the location where Harris was arrested. Harris confessed to committing the bank robbery.
Darion Fitzgerald. 19, and Taevon Young, 20, both of Cleveland, Ohio, are pending trial.
Assistant United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Farrell Police Department, Cleveland Metroparks Police Department, and Youngstown Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Harris.
