WHITE PLAINS MAN CONVICTED IN FEDERAL COURT
FOR HIS ROLE IN THE ARMED HOLDUP OF A WESTCHESTER BANK

MICHAEL J. GARCIA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that RASHEIM CARLTON was convicted of armed bank robbery late Friday in White Plains federal court. The jury found CARLTON guilty of robbing the Wachovia Bank branch located at 921 Saw Mill River Road, Ardsley, New York, on May 28, 2004.

The evidence presented at trial established that at approximately 9:45 a.m. on that day, CARLTON, who lived in White Plains until his arrest, and another man entered the bank. CARLTON brandished a gun, forced 2 bank employees out of their offices at gunpoint, and held everyone in the bank –- 5 bank employees and 1 customer -- at bay, while his accomplice ran to the back of the bank, vaulted over the teller counter, and stole money from the teller stations. The two men robbed the bank of $41,560 and then, with 2 other accomplices, fled the scene of the crime by car.

CARLTON previously was convicted in federal court of a string of armed bank robberies that occurred in Westchester County in 1997. CARLTON also functioned as a gunman in those robberies.

As a result of his previous conviction, CARLTON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison, and a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison, when he is sentenced by United States District Judge STEPHEN C. ROBINSON on November 2, 2006.

Mr. GARCIA praised the dedicated investigative work of the Ardsley Police Department, the White Plains Police Department, and the FBI’s Violent Crimes Squad in White Plains.

Assistant United States Attorneys MICHAEL S. BOSWORTH and JOHN HILLEBRECHT are in charge of the prosecution.