Serial Bank Robber Arrested and Indicted for Four Robberies in Phoenix

PHOENIX—A federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 4-count indictment yesterday against Ashley Townsend, 54, of Phoenix, charging him with Bank Robbery. Townsend was arrested without incident on May 4, 2009. He was detained and made an initial appearance in federal court on one count of bank robbery on May 5, 2009. The grand jury handed down an indictment yesterday that contained charges against him for four bank robberies. He remains in federal custody and is set for an arraignment on all four charges on Thursday, June 11, 2009.

The indictment alleges that Townsend committed four bank robberies in Phoenix on March 17, April 3, April 22, and May 4, 2009. Bank employees from all four banks positively identified Townsend as the robber. He approached bank tellers with a smiling face and a handwritten note demanding money, bragging “I am a professional” in each note.

A conviction for Bank Robbery carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. In determining an actual sentence, U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Martone will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.

An indictment is simply the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Bank Robbery Task Force, the Phoenix Police Department and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Jennifer E. Green, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER: CR-09-675-PHX-FJM

RELEASE NUMBER: 2009-188(Townsend)

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