Seattle bank robbery suspects face federal charges
SEATTLE (AP) - Five people who were arrested Dec. 22 on state bank robbery charges are now in federal court in Seattle where they could be sentenced to longer prison terms, if convicted.
FBI spokeswoman Ayn Dietrich said the five have been charged in a federal criminal complaint and made an initial court appearance Thursday in Seattle. She says all five remain in custody.
Four are from Los Angeles and one from Tacoma. Authorities are looking for two others accused in the takeover-style robberies in September, October and December at branches in Lakewood, Seattle and Kirkland.
Robbers would enter the bank in a group, jump over counters and demand money from tellers. The group frequently traveled by bus to Los Angeles after a robbery.
The FBI says the group also may be responsible for 10 similar bank robberies in Michigan and one in Ohio.
FBI spokeswoman Ayn Dietrich said the five have been charged in a federal criminal complaint and made an initial court appearance Thursday in Seattle. She says all five remain in custody.
Four are from Los Angeles and one from Tacoma. Authorities are looking for two others accused in the takeover-style robberies in September, October and December at branches in Lakewood, Seattle and Kirkland.
Robbers would enter the bank in a group, jump over counters and demand money from tellers. The group frequently traveled by bus to Los Angeles after a robbery.
The FBI says the group also may be responsible for 10 similar bank robberies in Michigan and one in Ohio.
Have to agree thinking all bank robbery was a federal crime, maybe the nanny state has a have a special hug-a-thug clause if its a state bank...
Am I behind the times? I thought Bank Robbery WAS a federal crime.
 @oldster70 It is a federal crime. I don't understand what they are meaning by saying their sentence could be longer if convicted in federal court. Were they charge by the state somehow?
This is what I found on about bank robbing being a federal crime.Â
http://definitions.uslegal.com/b/bank-robbery
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 @oldster70 Last time I checked, it was. Of course, the term "bank robbery" goes both ways these days, and maybe the government redefined the term to make life easier for their banker buddies.