A brazen bank robbery scheme that spanned two banks in North Carolina has ended in a lengthy prison sentence for a Florida man.
John Kershaw Barrette, 38, of Jacksonville, Florida, was sentenced to 96 months in prison and three years of supervised release on bank robbery charges, announced R. Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger following a guilty plea by Barrette in April 2017.
According to court records, on January 3, 2017, Barrette entered the Asheville Savings Bank located at 1012 Patton Avenue in Asheville, wearing a faded red wig. He handed a teller a note and placed a large envelope on the counter, claiming it contained a bomb that he could remotely activate using his cellular phone.
The teller, afraid of detonating the device, complied with Barrette’s demands, handing over $3,250 in cash. Barrette fled the scene, leaving the envelope behind. Law enforcement later determined that the device was a sham.
The next day, Barrette struck again, this time at the PNC Bank in Candler, North Carolina. He presented a teller with another envelope, claiming it contained a bomb, and demanded $3,180 in cash. The teller again complied, and Barrette fled the scene with the cash.
Barrette was apprehended by law enforcement shortly after the second robbery.
He pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery in April 2017 and is currently in federal custody. The sentence will be served without the possibility of parole.
U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the FBI, the Asheville Police Department, and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation into the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bradley prosecuted the case.
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: John Kershaw Barrette
Criminal Charges: Bank Robbery
City and State: Asheville, North Carolina
Exact Date: January 3, 2017 (crime date), April 2017 (plea date), and 96 months (sentence date)
Sentence or Outcome: 96 months in prison and three years of supervised release
Dollar Amounts: $3,250 and $3,180
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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