Federal Jury Convicts Bronx Man In Wave Of Bank Robberies

A federal jury has convicted a Bronx man of participating in a series of armed robberies at seven banks and a restaurant in Westchester, Putnam and the Bronx over a two-month period.

Karriem Barrow, 39, was found guilty following a nine-day jury trial before U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth M. Karas in federal court in White Plains.

“Barrow’s violent crimes affected not only the victims who were there during the robberies, but brought fear to thousands of residents of several communities,” said Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. “This case stands as a shining example of how justice can be achieved through the collective action of federal, state and local law enforcement.

Carl Farrington, 31, Barrow’s distant cousin and his accomplice, pleaded guilty in connection with the crime wave. Farrington was also a witness against Barrow at the trial.

Barrow was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, seen counts of armed bank robbery and eight counts of using , carrying or possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Barrow is facing life in prison when he is sentenced by Karas on April 4, 2012.

Bharara said the investigation involved the FBI, State Police, Westchester County police, and police in White Plains, Bronxville, Briarcliff, Greenburgh and Carmel.

The crime spree included:

-       Robbery of the Golden China Restaurant, 881 E. Gun Hill Road, the Bronx, in January 2010.

-       Key Bank, 3000 Route 6, Cortlandt Manor, on Jan. 21, 2010, with $4,500 stolen.

-       Chase Bank, 1946 Pleasantville Road, Briarcliff Manor, on Jan. 25, 2010, with $115,500 stolen.

-       Hudson City Savings Bank, 320 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, on Feb. 22, 2010, with $3,000 stolen.

-       Chase Bank, 131 Parkway Road, Bronxville, on Feb. 22, 2010, with $48,000 stolen.

-       TD Bank, 495 Central Avenue, White Plains, on March 5, 2010, with $13,000 stolen.

-       Capital One Bank, 151 Parkway Road, Bronxville, on March 15, 2010, with $1,027 stolen.

-       TD Bank, 915 South Lake Boulevard, Mahopac, on March 16, 2010, with $2,800 stolen.

The robbery spree led to the creation of a special Westchester Bank Robbery Task Force to unify the investigations into the armed holdups. The county police provided space at its headquarters in Hawthorne so that investigators from eight agencies could work as a team in one place.

Investigators on the task force developed information on a suspect and a vehicle that was used in the crimes, leading to the arrest Barrow, who was on federal probation for a previous bank robbery, and Farrington.