Michael Mitchell, Bank Robbery, New York 2014

BUFFALO, N.Y. – A 22-year-old Buffalo man has been sentenced to 108 months in prison for committing six bank robberies and aiding in a seventh robbery in the Buffalo and Rochester areas.

Michael Mitchell, also known as Max, was convicted of six counts of bank robbery and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten handled the case.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Baumgarten, Mitchell committed the robberies between October 2013 and January 9, 2014. The defendant planned and aided another individual in robbing the First Niagara Bank at 529 Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo on October 23, 2013.

Mitchell also committed the following robberies:

• December 3, 2013, First Niagara Bank, 529 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo
• December 16, 2013, First Niagara Bank, 805 Main Street, Niagara Falls
• December 26, 2013, First Niagara Bank, 70 Lyell Avenue, Rochester
• December 27, 2013, KeyBank, 201 Amherst Street, Buffalo
• January 3, 2014, M&T Bank, 130 Grant Street, Buffalo
• January 9, 2014, First Niagara Bank, 1248 Abbott Road, Lackawanna

During each of the robberies, Mitchell passed a note to the teller demanding money and threatened the use of a weapon.

“While some bank robbery investigations may take a bit longer than others, this case demonstrates that eventually all who commit such crimes get caught,” said U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul.

Co-defendant Sheila L. Cassata pleaded guilty to bank robbery and will be sentenced on June 5, 2015 at 12:00 p.m. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda, the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Michel, the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Chief Bryan DalPorto, and Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli.

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