Lackawanna Man Ronald McCarter Jr. Gets 27 Months for Bank Robbery

A masked man walked into a KeyBank on Broadway Avenue in Lancaster, NY, and walked out with cash after shoving a threatening note at a teller. That man, Ronald Anthony McCarter Jr., 25, of Lackawanna, NY, is now headed to federal prison for 27 months after being convicted of the October 29, 2015 heist.

McCarter approached the teller, demanded cash, and warned against dye packs or sudden moves, according to federal prosecutors. No weapons were displayed, but the threat was clear. Surveillance footage from inside the bank captured the suspect’s face—images that would later prove critical in identifying McCarter as the perpetrator.

Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. confirmed the sentencing, delivered by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The judge’s decision marks the end of a years-long federal case built largely on visual evidence and investigative legwork by federal and local authorities.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Cullinane, who prosecuted the case, emphasized the role of coordination between agencies. “Robberies like this shake public trust,” Cullinane said. “But when we move fast and work together, we put suspects behind bars.”

The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen, and the Lancaster Police Department, directed by Chief Gerald Gill. Their joint efforts linked McCarter to the robbery within weeks of the incident, sealing the case with forensic review of bank video and suspect identification.

McCarter now begins a 27-month federal sentence for bank robbery, a conviction that carries long-term consequences beyond prison time. As federal authorities remind the public: banks are federal institutions, and robbing one means facing federal time—no exceptions.