News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2007
In matters prosecuted by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia:
MULTI-STATE SERIAL BANK ROBBER SENTENCED TO OVER 15 YEARS IN PRISON
Charleston, WV – TODD ANDREW BRATTAIN, 33, of LEBANON, OHIO was sentenced today by United States District Judge David A. Faber to 190 months in prison, 5 years supervised release, and ordered to pay $19,929 in restitution for committing three bank robberies in three different states. BRATTAIN robbed a Huntington Bank branch near Hurricane, Putnam County, West Virginia on October 1, 2004, with a short-barreled, 12 gauge shotgun. BRATTAIN also robbed a Bank One branch in Richmond, Indiana in December 2004, and National City Bank in Troy, Ohio in January 2005. The federal charges stemming from the robberies committed in Indiana and Ohio had been transferred to West Virginia pursuant to a rule permitting such transfers in cases where the defendant agrees to plead guilty.
As a part of his guilty plea, BRATTAIN stipulated and agreed to the following facts surrounding each of the bank robberies:
Hurricane, WV Robbery
On October 1, 2004, BRATTAIN, who was employed as a truck driver at the time, drove his employer's tractor and flat-bed trailer to West Virginia from Ohio to make deliveries. BRATTAIN parked his truck at a truck stop near the Huntington Bank branch in Hurricane, West Virginia. BRATTAIN walked into the bank, asked to speak to someone about refinancing a loan, and was shown into a personal banker's office. Once in the office, BRATTAIN showed the female personal banker a 12 gauge, double-barreled, short-barreled shotgun positioned in his front pocket and under his arm pit and hidden under a jacket. BRATTAIN then handed the personal banker a small cloth bag and told her she had 30 seconds to go to the vault and retrieve money. The personal banker acted as instructed and went to the vault. She returned seconds later and handed BRATTAIN the cloth bag containing approximately $12,000 in United States currency. BRATTAIN fled the bank, cutting through a strip mall, returned to his tractor and trailer, and drove away.
Richmond, IN Robbery
On December 6, 2004, BRATTAIN drove to and parked his Toyota 4-Runner by a fitness center near Bank One in Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana. He entered the bank and asked to speak with someone about certificates of deposit. BRATTAIN was referred to a female employee who led him to her office. BRATTAIN then showed the employee a black, revolver-style pellet gun tucked in his waistband and informed her he was robbing the bank. He then handed the employee a small cloth bag and told her she had 30 seconds to go to the vault and retrieve money. The employee went to the teller line and received over $14,000 in cash from a teller. She then returned and handed the bag containing the currency to BRATTAIN. BRATTAIN then fled the bank. A short time later he began hearing a crackling sound and saw red smoke coming from the bag. BRATTAIN removed approximately $3,973 in currency from the bag and discarded the bag with the dye pack and the remaining currency in some brush between a convenience store and the fitness center near where he had parked. BRATTAIN then went to his vehicle and fled the area. He returned later that evening to retrieve the bag with the dye pack, but was unable to locate it.
Troy, OH Robbery
On January 14, 2005, BRATTAIN drove to the National City Bank in Troy, Miami County, Ohio. He entered the bank shortly before closing time and asked to speak to someone about refinancing a loan or certificates of deposit. He was led to an office by a female employee. BRATTAIN told the employee he was robbing the bank and then brandished a black, revolver-style pellet gun. He handed the employee a small cloth bag and told her she had only 30 seconds to gather the money. BRATTAIN then followed her to the teller line where a teller filled the bag with United States currency. The victim then handed the bag to BRATTAIN and he fled the bank with almost $4,000 in cash.
The victim personal banker from the Hurricane robbery, who was over five months pregnant at the time, spoke at sentencing concerning the profound impact the robbery had on her life. Judge Faber, in imposing the stiff sentence, thanked the victim for the statement and admonished BRATTAIN concerning the lasting effects of his crimes.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney R. Booth Goodwin II handled the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorneys Sheila Lafferty (SDOH) and Christina McKee (SDIN) assisted in the development and transfer of the charges from the Southern Districts of Ohio and Indiana.
HUNTINGTON WOMAN SENTENCED TO OVER FOUR YEARS IN PRISON
Huntington, WV – SHARON ADKINS, 56, of Huntington, WV, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers to 57 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute oxycodone. ADKINS previously pled guilty in August 2007, admitting to the charge. The conviction stems from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Virginia State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigations. On April 18, 2007, agents issued a search warrant at ADKINS' residence in Huntington. Evidence obtained from the search revealed that ADKINS possessed oxycodone with the intent to distribute the prescription drug. Pursuant to her plea agreement, ADKINS forfeited approximately $5,700 in cash and numerous firearms – all of which constitute proceeds from her drug distribution. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston handled the prosecution.