Upper Marlboro Man Enters Plea In String Of Bank Robberies Across MD, VA

UPPER MARLBORO, MD — A 44-year-old Upper Marlboro man has pleaded guilty in connection to several bank robberies, as well as the use of a gun in a crime of violence.

According to the guilty plea, between Nov. 19, 2020, and Dec. 7, 2020, Wesley Phillip Wilson, Jr., robbed four banks and attempted to rob another. On Nov. 19, 2020, Wilson kicked off the spree by robbing approximately $1,570 from a Prince George’s County bank. During the robbery, Wilson approached a teller station and, according to police, handed a teller a note that stated “Don’t Be a Hero. I have a gun. No Dye packs tracers or devices in the bag. Do Not push alarm until I leave! If my scanner goes off someone will die. Only Large Bills. Hurry up!! Stay calm 20,000 Now.” The bank teller initially gave Wilson $500, but he demanded more money, so the teller gave him an additional $1,070.70.

Then on Nov. 23, 2020, Wilson went into an Anne Arundel County bank. Wilson went up to the teller station and handed the teller a note that stated, “Dont Panic. Put all the money in the bag. Don’t hit the panic alarm until I leave or people will die. I have a gun…No dye packs or devices. Your on the clock. Don’t Be A Hero!!” The teller gave Wilson $2,709 before he took off, court documents stated.

On Nov. 25, 2020, Wilson attempted to rob a Woodbridge, Virginia, bank. Wilson walked up to the teller’s station asking to make a withdrawal. He then tossed an envelope through the opening of the teller’s plastic shield that stated, “I have a gun don’t Panic Do Not push the panic alarm until I leave and No one dies. Give me ALL the money from the drawer.” Wilson then reached into his bag and pulled out a black handgun. The teller handed Wilson a withdrawal slip and responded to the threat by attempting to press the alarm button under the desk. Wilson ran off without getting any money from the bank, according to court documents.

Three days later on Nov. 28, Wilson went into a Montgomery County bank carrying a shopping bag. Wilson went up to the teller station and handed over a note that read, “I have a gun. Do not panic. Give me all the money in the drawer.” The teller gave Wilson $3,000, which he put in the shopping bag before taking off. On Dec. 7, Wilson walked into a Manassas, Virginia, bank and went up to the teller station. After a brief conversation, Wilson pointed a handgun at the teller, demanding everything in the top drawer. The teller gave Wilson the money. Then Wilson went up to another bank employee and demanded money, court documents showed.

The second employee then emptied a drawer that contained cash and a GPS tracker onto the counter. As the employee put the money into envelopes, a customer entered the bank. Wilson pointed the handgun at the employee and said, “You have eight seconds.” He then stuffed approximately $6,135 into a bag before taking off. Law enforcement then used the GPS tracker to follow the stolen money to a shopping center in Manassas, Virginia. Law enforcement found Wilson and told him they were detaining him in connection to the Prince William County bank robbery, court documents stated.

As an officer placed his hands behind him, Wilson confessed to the bank robberies. When they walked up to Wilson’s vehicle, law enforcement spied piles of stolen cash inside and officers eventually found additional stolen money in his pocket. After Wilson’s arrest, he confessed to the four previous bank robberies and the one attempted bank robbery. Law enforcement searched Wilson’s vehicle where officers found the money from previous robberies and the Polymer80 9mm handgun and ammunition he used in connection to the robberies.

Wilson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the bank robbery charge and a maximum of 25 years for the armed bank robbery and attempted armed bank robbery charges. Wilson also faces a minimum of five years and maximum of life—consecutive to the bank robbery offenses—for using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.