Eric Barbati Pleads Guilty to 6-Robbery Spree in Western PA

Eric Barbati, 32, of New Castle, Pennsylvania, admitted in federal court to terrorizing convenience stores and banks across Lawrence and Mercer Counties in a brazen three-week robbery spree that ended with his guilty plea. The former New Castle resident pleaded guilty to four counts of Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of bank robbery before U.S. District Judge David Cercone in Pittsburgh.

Between August 26 and September 17, 2017, Barbati struck four times at convenience stores—each with the same cold, calculated routine. At BFS Foods, Red Apple, and twice at Market 24—all in New Castle—he approached cashiers holding a Mountain Dew bottle. As employees reached for change, Barbati snatched cash from the drawer or ripped the entire tray from the counter and bolted, leaving workers shaken and stores robbed.

The heist pattern escalated on September 5, 2017, when Barbati walked into the PNC Bank in Hermitage, PA, and declared, “This is a robbery, place all your money on the counter.” He fled with $2,702. Six days later, on September 11, he handed a written note with the same threat—”This is a robbery, put all your money on the counter”—to a teller at the Huntington Bank in New Wilmington, PA, escaping with $1,641.

Federal prosecutors laid out the full scope of the crime spree as part of the plea agreement, revealing a string of violent confrontations masked by mundane appearances. Though no firearms were used, the psychological threat was clear—each robbery executed with precision and speed, leaving behind surveillance footage and traumatized employees.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy M. Lanni, who is handling the prosecution, emphasized the coordinated response from multiple law enforcement agencies that led to Barbati’s capture. The FBI, Hermitage Police Department, New Wilmington Borough Police, New Castle Police, and Neshannock Township Police all played critical roles in piecing together evidence and identifying Barbati as the suspect.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 23, 2018. Barbati faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the final term will reflect the severity of the crimes and any prior criminal history. For now, the streets of western Pennsylvania are one suspect lighter—but the scars of six armed-adjacent robberies won’t fade fast.