Prison Sentence For Man Who Robbed Banks In Montco & Philly

TOWAMENCIN, PA — A local man is heading to state prison after admitting he robbed banks in Montgomery County and the City of Philadelphia.

Moliere Joseph, 23, of Towamencin Township, received a prison sentence recently of two to four years, plus two years of probation, in connection with his pleading guilty to two felony counts of robbery.

Court records in the case show that Joseph was handed his prison sentence on Aug. 17 by Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge Virgil B. Walker.

The judge ordered that the sentences be carried out concurrently with one another.

This spring, Patch reported that Joseph had turned himself in to police in Abington Township, who were seeking the defendant in connection with a Feb. 10 robbery of the Santander Bank on the 1400 block of Old York Road.

Joseph, police said, had presented a demand note to bank tellers seeking money during the robbery.

"Detectives spent weeks trying to track down Moliere, who did not have a fixed address," the Abington Police Department previously stated. "Detectives were in contact with family members, who were working to get Mr. Joseph to turn himself in to police."

According to media reports, Joseph was also the man who robbed the First Trust Bank on Krewstown Road in Northeast Philadelphia back in January, at which time he also reportedly used a demand note handed to bank tellers.

In both robberies, investigators said Joseph covered his head and face, and insinuated that he had a weapon on him.

In addition to the prison and probation terms, the judge ordered that Joseph have no contact with either of the two banks that he robbed.

Court records in the case show that Joseph was also ordered to pay $8,268 in restitution.

Five other felony counts and two misdemeanors were dropped in exchange for Joseph's agreeing to plead guilty to the two felony robbery counts, the docket sheet in the case shows.