James W. Snoke, Bank Robbery with Threat, Rhode Island 2011

A Rhode Island man has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for robbing a Cranston bank while claiming to be armed with an explosive device in November 2011.

James W. Snoke, 49, of Foster, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for robbing a Cranston branch office of BankRI on November 18, 2011. He demanded that he be given fifties and one hundred dollar bills and no dye packs, while threatening the teller by displaying a device he claimed was a bomb.

The teller complied, placing a quantity of cash inside a black bag provided by Snoke. He fled the bank with the bag, which contained $2,365 in cash and the device he claimed was a bomb.

The case was solved thanks to a still photograph of the robber obtained from the bank’s surveillance system. A correctional officer identified the person in the photograph as James Snoke, a former inmate at the state prison.

On November 21, 2011, members of the Cranston Police Department, Foster Police Department, and Rhode Island State Police executed a court-authorized search of Snoke’s Foster residence. Several pieces of evidence were seized during the search.

The next day, Rhode Island State Police located Snoke in East Providence and arrested him. He has been detained since his arrest.

United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha commended the collaboration between law enforcement from the Cranston and Foster Police Departments, Rhode Island State Police, and the FBI, which led to the arrest and successful prosecution of this defendant.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch. Judge William E. Smith also ordered Snoke to serve a consecutive sentence of six months in federal prison for violating the terms of his supervised release.

Snoke was previously sentenced to 70 months in federal prison in November 2004 for his role as getaway driver during a bank robbery in Providence in February 2004. He has been ordered to serve one year of supervised release upon completion of his most recent prison sentence.

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