Barrington Bank Robbery Getaway Driver Sentenced To More Than 11 Years In Federal Prison; Co-defendant Sentenced To More Than 5 Years In Prison For Armed Bank Robbery |
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U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Rhode Island
26 September 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – David Lasseque, 33, of Providence, convicted of being the getaway driver during the armed robbery of a Barrington, R.I., bank in July 2013, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 140 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha, Barrington Police Chief John M. LaCross, East Providence Police Chief Christopher J. Parella and Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Office of the FBI.
Lasseque was convicted by a federal court jury in June 2014 of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery. At sentencing, Lasseque was also ordered to serve 3 years supervised upon completion of his prison term.
A co-defendant in this matter, Pierre S. Rheau, 34, of Providence, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith in September 12, 2014, to 63 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years supervised release. Rheau pleaded guilty in May 2014 to one count each of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and armed bank robbery.
According to court documents and the government’s evidence presented at Lasseque’s trial, at approximately 5:00 p.m. on July 12, 2103, members of the Barrington Police Department responded to a report of an armed bank robbery at the County Road branch office of Bank of America. Witnesses told police that an individual armed with a black firearm approached tellers demanding they give him all the money. The evidence showed that the robber fled the bank with $4,871 in cash.
According to the government’s evidence, in response to a police dispatch about the bank robbery, a Barrington Police Sergeant positioned himself on Rte. 114. A short time later, the sergeant saw a vehicle traveling in a northerly direction away from the bank by an individual who fit the general description of the bank robber. The sergeant began to follow the vehicle and attempted to affect a traffic stop. However, after stopping briefly, the vehicle fled the area at a high rate of speed.
According to the government’s evidence, the suspect vehicle was pursued by police into an East Providence residential neighborhood. The vehicle came to a stop after crashing into an East Providence police cruiser traveling in the opposite direction, with its lights and siren engaged, injuring the officer.
According to the government’s evidence, the driver, David Lasseque, fled on foot but was quickly apprehended by Barrington and East Providence officers. A second individual, Pierre Rheau, later identified as the gunman who robbed the bank, was discovered lying on the back seat. From the back seat area, officers recovered a pile of loose cash, a black Daisy .177 caliber BB gun, and clothing and accessories described by witnesses as having been worn by the armed bank robber.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela E. Chin.
Warren and Seekonk, Mass., Police and the Rhode Island State Police assisted Barrington Police, East Providence Police and the FBI in the investigation of this matter.