BALTIMORE FELON PLEADS GUILTY IN ARMED BANK ROBBERY
Pointed Gun at Two Tellers and Kicked a Teller in the Head to Rob Bank of $8,780

Baltimore, Maryland - Chi Antonio Ray, age 31, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty today to bank robbery and using a gun during the bank robbery, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. 

According to his guilty plea, Ray ran into the SunTrust Bank at 11704 Reistertown Road, Baltimore, Maryland on February 29, 2008 wearing a ski mask and carrying a revolver.  An associate ran into the bank with him, carrying a crowbar.  They ordered the bank employees and customers to get down on the floor or  their heads would be “blown off.”  Ray jumped the teller counter, pointed his gun at a teller and demanded money.  The teller opened his cash drawer and Ray took out money.  Ray walked over to another teller, pointed his gun at her and demanded money.  He took out money when she opened her cash drawer.  Ray then went back to the first teller, kicked him in the head and demanded more money.  The teller opened another cash drawer and Ray took the money. 

Ray and his associate ran out of the bank with a total of $8,780 and drove off in a minivan.  Law enforcement officers who were stationed nearby on an unrelated investigation observed the driver park the minivan, after a dye pack included with the money had exploded.  As the officers approached, Ray and his associate fled.  The gun used in the robbery was recovered from the minivan, as well as the dye-stained money.

Ray faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison for bank robbery.  He also faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five or seven years, consecutive to any other sentence, and a maximum of life in prison, for using a gun in connection with a crime of violence.  U.S. District Judge Andre M. Davis scheduled sentencing for November 14, 2008 at 2:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Baltimore County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their investigative work.  Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Bonnie S. Greenberg, who is prosecuting the case.