People are sometimes backed into a corner financially and feel like they have no other option then to try and rob a bank. The federal court system does not take kindly to bank robbers. If you or a loved one were accused of bank robbery, penalties can be terribly life-altering if convicted. However, there is a way out.
Bank Robbery – Federal Law
Whenever a crime is automatically governed by federal law that is when you know you have crossed over to some of the most serious criminal charges. Bank robbery laws are more extreme than regular robbery laws because banks are federal institutions not privately owned stores.
A defendant does not even need to have a weapon to be charged with bank robbery. Bank robbery is covered under Title 18, Section 2113 of the U.S. Code. Any one that enters a building that is used as a bank with the intent to remove money or commit any felony that affects the bank could face a huge fine and up to 20 years in prison.
If you are involved in a robbery that puts another person’s life in jeopardy (making threats, using weapons even toy weapons) you will be charged with an even greater fine and up to 25 years in jail.
Those who simply receive anything taken illegally from a bank could be fined and get up to 10 years in prison.
Criminal Penalties
You can be responsible of fines ranging from $1000 to tens of thousands of dollars. Prison sentences start at around 10 years and can go up to life in prison, especially when kidnapping and murder charges are added.
Factors that are influential in sentencing are: whether or not a weapon was used, the amount of money taken from the bank, whether people were hurt or killed, whether someone was kidnapped, and finally the criminal history of the defendant.