Keverick Lavar Brown, Bank Robbery, Florida 2014

Tampa, Florida – In a shocking turn of events, 27-year-old Keverick Lavar Brown was sentenced to 8 years and 9 months in federal prison for his role in the armed robbery of a Tampa bank.

According to court documents, on March 14, 2014, Brown and Erskine James McKinley committed an armed robbery of a Fifth Third Bank in Tampa. Both wore hats, masks, sunglasses, gloves, and dark clothing. During the robbery, Brown pointed a loaded .45 caliber pistol at bank employees and customers. The men escaped with more than $5,000, but discarded it when a dye pack exploded in the parking lot.

Later that same day, law enforcement officers located the men at Brown’s residence in Tampa. Inside the residence, they found items the pair had used in the bank robbery, including their disguises and the firearm.

Brown pleaded guilty on August 27, 2014, and was sentenced on today by U.S. District Judge Charlene Edward Honeywell. The Court also ordered him to forfeit the high-capacity firearm used in the robbery.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.

Meanwhile, Brown’s accomplice, Erskine James McKinley, was sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in federal prison for his role in the crime. McKinley, 24, of Belle Glade, pleaded guilty on June 12, 2014.

This case serves as a reminder of the severity of bank robberies and the consequences of committing such crimes. The community should be assured that law enforcement agencies will work tirelessly to bring perpetrators to justice.

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