bloodrayne
01-22-2006, 03:03 AM
Police: Dad Foils Son’s Bank Job
New Hampshire - Facing a heroin possession charge, a father with a prior bank robbery conviction did what any other family-man felon would do — he ratted out his son and helped police set him up.
The son — James Adam Drown, 26, of Pembroke — was lured into a bank robbery scheme, his lawyer said during a hearing in U.S. District Court yesterday.
Police supplied the vehicles, gloves, a gun, and an undercover FBI agent drove the father and son around casing banks on the Seacoast, said the lawyer, Joseph Caulfield. All the time, Dad was wearing a wire, prosecutors acknowledge.
“Yet my client is charged with attempted bank robbery,” Caulfield said during a bail hearing. “This bizarre situation does not lead to my client being held.”
Drown was ordered to be held without bail until a yet-unscheduled plea hearing. Federal Magistrate James Muirhead said he was a danger to the community.
During the bail hearing yesterday, prosecutor Terry Ollila would not identify Drown’s father because of the ongoing investigation.
The father was arrested for heroin possession in Manchester and has a prior conviction for bank robbery.
The father told police his son had approached him about robbing the TD BankNorth on Bay Street in Manchester; Dad declined.
But he did case the bank with his son and a friend prior to the Nov. 16 robbery, he said. He told police he believed his son was pictured in surveillance photos. He added that gloves resembling those worn by one of the robbers could be found in his son’s car.
Then the father agreed to entice Drown into a bank robbery in the Seacoast area. He brought along a friend — an undercover FBI agent who acted as the driver.
Drown had been told not to bring his .22 caliber pistol; the agent would supply a weapon that would not fire.
They met in Concord last Friday morning and drove to Portsmouth to case banks, Ollila said. Drown brought a red stocking cap, a black bandanna and sunglasses.
Federal agents parked a van at the Lowe’s parking lot in Seabrook, and the undercover agent said they could use it for the getaway vehicle after the robbery.
When the three men arrived at the Lowe’s parking lot, Ollila said, they put the disguises in the van and went to case banks.
The three first visited the TD BankNorth in Seabrook; Drown became excited over an armored car, Ollila said. The three visited several others, but Drown wanted to rob the TD BankNorth Bank in Seabrook.
The men returned to the van, donned their disguises and Drown checked out the weapon, she said.
As they were about to leave for the bank, Drown was arrested and charged with attempted bank robbery. The arrest took place so as not to endanger the public, Ollila said.
“Mr. Drown fully intended to rob that Seabrook bank,” she said.
After he was arrested, his residence was searched and the .22 caliber gun was found, she said,
A heavy set man with tattoos on his arm, Drown sat in court wearing a Strafford County prison suit. His mother and wife sat behind him. If convicted, Drown could face from seven to nine years in federal prison.
Court documents remained sealed in the case.
New Hampshire - Facing a heroin possession charge, a father with a prior bank robbery conviction did what any other family-man felon would do — he ratted out his son and helped police set him up.
The son — James Adam Drown, 26, of Pembroke — was lured into a bank robbery scheme, his lawyer said during a hearing in U.S. District Court yesterday.
Police supplied the vehicles, gloves, a gun, and an undercover FBI agent drove the father and son around casing banks on the Seacoast, said the lawyer, Joseph Caulfield. All the time, Dad was wearing a wire, prosecutors acknowledge.
“Yet my client is charged with attempted bank robbery,” Caulfield said during a bail hearing. “This bizarre situation does not lead to my client being held.”
Drown was ordered to be held without bail until a yet-unscheduled plea hearing. Federal Magistrate James Muirhead said he was a danger to the community.
During the bail hearing yesterday, prosecutor Terry Ollila would not identify Drown’s father because of the ongoing investigation.
The father was arrested for heroin possession in Manchester and has a prior conviction for bank robbery.
The father told police his son had approached him about robbing the TD BankNorth on Bay Street in Manchester; Dad declined.
But he did case the bank with his son and a friend prior to the Nov. 16 robbery, he said. He told police he believed his son was pictured in surveillance photos. He added that gloves resembling those worn by one of the robbers could be found in his son’s car.
Then the father agreed to entice Drown into a bank robbery in the Seacoast area. He brought along a friend — an undercover FBI agent who acted as the driver.
Drown had been told not to bring his .22 caliber pistol; the agent would supply a weapon that would not fire.
They met in Concord last Friday morning and drove to Portsmouth to case banks, Ollila said. Drown brought a red stocking cap, a black bandanna and sunglasses.
Federal agents parked a van at the Lowe’s parking lot in Seabrook, and the undercover agent said they could use it for the getaway vehicle after the robbery.
When the three men arrived at the Lowe’s parking lot, Ollila said, they put the disguises in the van and went to case banks.
The three first visited the TD BankNorth in Seabrook; Drown became excited over an armored car, Ollila said. The three visited several others, but Drown wanted to rob the TD BankNorth Bank in Seabrook.
The men returned to the van, donned their disguises and Drown checked out the weapon, she said.
As they were about to leave for the bank, Drown was arrested and charged with attempted bank robbery. The arrest took place so as not to endanger the public, Ollila said.
“Mr. Drown fully intended to rob that Seabrook bank,” she said.
After he was arrested, his residence was searched and the .22 caliber gun was found, she said,
A heavy set man with tattoos on his arm, Drown sat in court wearing a Strafford County prison suit. His mother and wife sat behind him. If convicted, Drown could face from seven to nine years in federal prison.
Court documents remained sealed in the case.