Rochester Bank Robber Khiry Aiken Admits to 7 Heists

ROCHESTER, NY – Khiry T. Aiken, 26, of Rochester, is facing up to two decades behind bars after admitting today to a string of brazen bank robberies that terrorized the Rochester and Buffalo areas in 2016. Aiken pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr., confessing to the theft of funds from seven financial institutions.

The seven-count indictment detailed a calculated spree that began on April 16, 2016, with a hit on the Advantage Federal Credit Union on Mt. Hope Avenue in Rochester. Aiken didn’t stop there. He continued to target banks and credit unions over the following months, racking up a list of victims that included Key Bank on Mt. Hope Avenue, First Niagara Bank in Buffalo, and Summit Federal Credit Union in Brighton.

Federal prosecutors, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, laid out the evidence, which showed Aiken repeatedly victimized local branches. The robber struck Northwest Savings Bank in Cheektowaga, then circled back to Rochester for a second robbery at the Advantage Federal Credit Union. He capped off the spree with a final heist at another First Niagara Bank location in Amherst on September 13, 2016.

The investigation, a multi-agency effort, involved the FBI, led by Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen, along with the Rochester, Brighton, Buffalo, Amherst, and Cheektowaga Police Departments. Each department, under the leadership of their respective Chiefs (Michael Ciminelli, Mark Henderson, Daniel Derenda, John Askey, and David Zack), contributed to building the case against Aiken.

Aiken’s guilty plea carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. While the plea avoids a trial, it doesn’t guarantee leniency. Judge Geraci will consider the severity of the crimes, Aiken’s criminal history, and other factors before handing down a sentence.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 12, 2017, at 3:30 p.m. before Judge Geraci. Grimy Times will be there to report on the final outcome of this case and the justice – or lack thereof – served to the victims of Aiken’s relentless crime spree. Contact Barbara Burns at (716) 843-5817 for further information.