Malik Pratt, Bank Robbery, Vermont 2022

BURLINGTON, VT – Malik Pratt, 26, of Burlington, Vermont, will spend the next 35 months behind bars after being sentenced Monday for the brazen daylight robbery of a People’s United Bank branch on North Avenue in March 2022. U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss also tacked on 3 years of supervised release following his incarceration. Pratt was ordered to fully reimburse the bank for the $1,316 he stole.

The holdup unfolded at 10:06 a.m. on March 1, 2022, when Burlington Police Department officers responded to a frantic call from the bank. Employees recounted to investigators that Pratt entered the bank and immediately threatened to shoot them if they didn’t hand over cash. He made off with the money, ditching the scene on foot and leaping a fence near the Ethan Allan Parkway in a clumsy attempt to evade capture.

It wasn’t a clean getaway. Within weeks, a joint investigation between Burlington detectives and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) zeroed in on Pratt as the suspect. He was formally charged with bank robbery on March 18, 2022, and ultimately pleaded guilty on October 11, 2022 – a move that likely saved him from a potentially longer sentence.

U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest praised the collaborative effort of the Burlington Police Department and the ATF in securing the conviction. “This case demonstrates the power of federal and local partnerships in tackling violent crime,” Kerest stated in a released statement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Van de Graaf prosecuted the case, while Pratt was defended by attorney Richard R. Goldsborough, Esq.

Federal authorities emphasized that Pratt’s sentencing is part of “Project Safe Neighborhoods” (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering trust between law enforcement and communities. The program focuses on strategic enforcement and community-based prevention programs.

While the sentence provides some closure for the bank and the community, it remains to be seen if Pratt will receive the resources needed to address the underlying issues that led him to commit this crime. The Burlington area, like many cities across the country, continues to grapple with poverty, addiction, and a lack of opportunity – factors that often contribute to a cycle of violence and crime.

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