Crime & Safety
Man Accused in Series of Bank Robberies Faces Federal Charges
Federal prosecutors say Samuel Lewis is behind the robbery of BB&T Bank in Wheaton and possibly six other bank robberies in Montgomery County, including one in Potomac.
Samuel Lewis, the man Montgomery County Police last year, has been charged with one count of armed robbery by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
According to a criminal complaint filed Oct. 18 by the FBI, Lewis is accused of robbing BB&T Bank in Wheaton, located at 11501 Georgia Ave., on Sept. 2 by force, violence and intimidation.
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The FBI also cited Lewis’ possible connection to six other bank robberies, including:
- Sovereign Bank, 481 North Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg on Feb. 1
- M&T Bank, 11161 New Hampshire Ave., White Oak on and
- Wachovia Bank, 16820 Georgia Ave., Wheaton on Oct. 30, 2010
Lewis has not been charged in any of the six additional robberies.
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Lewis is currently detained in an undisclosed correctional facility on state charges stemming from his original case in the District Court of Maryland in Montgomery County. However, those charges are not currently being pursued by the state's attorney's office.
A date for Lewis' initial appearance before a federal judge has not been determined, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
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