Irishman pleads guilty to US bank robbery

AN Irishman yesterday pleaded guilty in federal court in Maine to robbing a Bank of America branch on October 4.

Niall Clarke, aged 26, also pleaded guilty to using a firearm while committing a federal crime of violence, lying on an application to buy a gun and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Clarke faces up to 25 years in prison on the robbery charge, and up to 10 years in federal prison on the firearms violation counts.

He had originally pleaded not guilty to the charges on November 2, a week after being indicted by a grand jury. A sentencing date has not been set.

Clarke was arrested shortly after the robbery while driving on Interstate 95 with about €9,000 in his possession, prosecutors said. He also had a loaded .38-calibre handgun and a box of ammunition.

Clarke, who was living in Portland at the time, came to the US a year ago and was supposed to have left last April, officials said.

He is expected to be deported after he serves his sentence.

According to the Bangor Daily News, Clarke’s sentencing date is not expected to be scheduled until after a pre-sentence report has been completed. That could take longer than the average six to eight weeks as a check of Clarke’s record in Ireland is required.

In pleading guilty, Clarke also agreed to forfeit the gun and the ammunition which he admitted buying the day before the robbery.

He admitted lying when he stated on the application form to purchase the gun that he was a US citizen.