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Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Wheelchair Bank Robbery Attempt
A Pittsburgh man has been sentenced to 46 months in prison for attempting to rob a South Side bank while using a wheelchair, according to federal authorities.
Emanuel Luna, 56, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti after being convicted of attempted bank robbery. Luna’s sentence also includes three years of supervised release.
The attempted robbery occurred on August 13, 2019, at approximately 3:19 p.m. at the First National Bank located at 114 E Carson Street. Luna, who was in a wheelchair, entered the bank and handed a note to the teller that stated he had a bomb and would kill everyone if they didn’t give him at least $50,000.
The teller activated the alarm and used her phone to call the manager. Luna then wheeled himself to the front door and exited the bank. Surveillance footage showed Luna abandoning the wheelchair and walking to the corner of 12th Street and Carson Street, where he waited to board an Allegheny County Port Authority Bus.
Law enforcement officials, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, responded to the robbery and were able to recover a fingerprint from the wheelchair that matched Luna’s fingerprint. Luna was later apprehended and has been in custody since then.
At sentencing, Luna acknowledged that the crime was ‘really stupid’ and ‘inconceivable’ that he would get away with it. Judge Conti explained that the sentence balanced all of the factors the Court is to consider and reflected that the offense was ‘very serious’ and put people under ‘terrible’ circumstances.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the government’s violent crime reduction efforts. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted the case on behalf of the government, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Luna.
Luna’s sentence reflects the need to promote respect for the law and signal to others that it is ‘not worth it to rob a bank.’ The Judge also acknowledged that Luna’s sentence was at the low end of the guideline range for a term of imprisonment, but the maximum amount of time on supervised release, taking into account the need to protect the community from Luna and ensure that he receives the services he needs to become a productive member of society upon release.
This case is a prime example of the successful collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the community in reducing violent crime in Pittsburgh.
©2024 Grimy Times. All rights reserved.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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