BOSTON, MA - A New Hampshire man was sentenced in U.S. District Court last week for armed bank robbery, using a firearm during a crime of violence, unarmed bank robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Warren F. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Division, announced that LAWRENCE JOHN MESITE, age 59, of New Hampshire, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Patti Saris to 141 months' imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $400.00 special assessment. Upon MESITE’S release from prison he is ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $5,507.00 to Sovereign Bank. MESITE, a previously convicted felon, pled guilty to armed robbery, using a firearm during a crime of violence, unarmed bank robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm on September 4, 2008.

At the earlier plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that had the case proceeded to trial the Government’s evidence would have proven that on July 10, 2007, at approximately 5:00 p.m., MESITE, masked and armed with a .22 caliber Lugar, entered the Sovereign Bank on Trapelo Road in Waltham. MESITE approached a teller’s station, pointed the weapon at the teller, and demanded money. The teller upon seeing the weapon emptied her drawer and MESITE fled the bank. A post robbery audit determined that MESITE had taken $5,507.00 in United States currency. The Waltham Police were immediately notified but were unsuccessful in locating MESITE.

Two weeks later, on July 24, 2007, a masked MESITE again entered the Sovereign Bank and demanded money from the cashiers. MESITE was given $3,302.00 in United States currency. As MESITE exited the bank, the tellers observed him running across a parking lot and into a white van. They relayed this information to the Waltham Police who stopped MESITE within minutes. Tellers positively identified MESITE as the individual who had robbed the bank on July 10, 2007, and on July 24, 2007. An inventory search of his vehicle was conducted and a plastic bag containing the robbery proceeds, a bandana which had been used as a mask during the robbery, and a loaded .22 caliber Lugar handgun were recovered.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Waltham Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James P. Dowden of Sullivan’s Economic Crime Unit and Kenneth G. Shine of Sullivan’s Major Crime Unit.