Raleigh Man Convicted in Roanoke Rapids PNC Bank Heist

Dannie Simon Parker Jr., 48, of Raleigh, North Carolina, was convicted Tuesday in federal court after a two-day trial on charges of robbing a PNC Bank in Roanoke Rapids. The jury delivered a swift verdict, finding Parker guilty of the December 28, 2017, heist that netted him $1,975 in cash. U.S. District Judge James C. Dever, III presided over the trial in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

On the day of the robbery, Parker walked into the Roanoke Rapids PNC Bank armed only with a handwritten demand note. He passed it to a teller, claiming he had a weapon—though investigators later confirmed he was unarmed. He grabbed the $1,975 and fled the scene in a vehicle, heading south on I-95 before law enforcement blocked traffic to stop him. Police found the stolen money and the demand note in the passenger seat, along with other incriminating evidence.

Parker isn’t new to federal bank robbery charges. He has two prior convictions for the same crime and was on federal supervised release at the time of the 2017 robbery. That detail adds a layer of defiance to his actions—breaking the law while under the watchful eye of the justice system. Prosecutors emphasized his criminal history during trial, painting a picture of a repeat offender who ignored second chances.

Now, Parker faces up to 20 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for a later date. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donald R. Pender and Melissa B. Kessler, who led the prosecution, called the conviction a victory for public safety and accountability.

The case was investigated by a joint effort involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Roanoke Rapids Police Department, and the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office. Their rapid coordination led to Parker’s capture within hours of the robbery. The collaboration underscores the ongoing push under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal initiative aimed at targeting violent repeat offenders and reducing crime through aggressive interagency partnerships.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s broader Take Back North Carolina Initiative, which embeds federal prosecutors in high-crime regions to work alongside local law enforcement and district attorneys. The goal is to dismantle criminal networks and prevent repeat offenses. Parker’s conviction sends a clear message: even one-man crimes with modest takeaways don’t escape federal attention—especially when the offender is already on borrowed time with the law.

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