Baltimore, Maryland – Lloyd Phillip Simon, age 71, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to bank robbery, in connection with two 2019 bank robberies at the same bank within one week.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, on August 13 and August 19, 2019, Simon robbed a bank located in the University of Maryland Medical Center. In each instance, Simon entered the lobby of the Medical Center, partially obscuring his face by wearing a baseball hat and large glasses. Upon entering the bank, Simon approached a teller and demanded money. In the first robbery, Simon told the teller he had a gun. Fearing for their safety, the tellers gave Simon money and he left the bank.
Specifically, on August 13, 2019, a video surveillance camera captured Simon walk into the lobby of the Medical Center wearing a black jacket, white shirt, black and white shorts, and black and white shoes. He also wore a purple and gold lanyard around his neck. His face was partially hidden by a grey baseball hat and large glasses. Simon obtained a white wristband from the receptionist, which allowed him access to the food court and bank area of the Medical Center. As Simon walked toward the bank, he reached into a donation bin located in the atrium and took one of the donations placed there – a black backpack. He then approached the bank and placed his black jacket and the newly acquired black backpack on a bench outside the bank. Simon immediately approached Bank Teller #1, who was in the process of counting money from the bank’s night drop. Simon demanded money from Bank Teller #1, stating, “Give me that money. I have a gun. No dye packs.” Fearing for her safety, Bank Teller #1 gave Simon all of the money that she had been counting. Simon left the bank, grabbing the backpack and black jacket, as he quickly walked away. Simon donned the black jacket to cover his white shirt and as he exited the Medical Center, he took off his hat and glasses. Simon’s face was captured on an outdoor video surveillance camera.
On August 19, 2019 Simon robbed the same bank. A video surveillance camera captured Simon entering the Medical Center lobby, where he again obtained a white wristband from the receptionist. Simon was wearing different clothing—a black and grey striped shirt; red shorts; black, white, and red shoes; and a lanyard depicting flames. Simon again wore large glasses and a baseball cap – a blue LA Dodgers baseball cap, to partially obscure his face. This time, Simon went through a back corridor before approaching the bank and did not immediately enter the bank. Instead, Simon is observed on video surveillance peering toward the bank, then sitting down on a bench outside of the bank. Simon waited on the bench until the bank security guard left on his lunch break. Simon then donned his glasses and entered the bank. Bank Teller #1 immediately recognized Simon from the previous robbery the week before. She told Simon to go wait in line, and then went to press the panic button. Simon approached Bank Teller #2, and stated words to the effect of “Give me all of your money, I want the big stuff!” Fearing for her safety, Bank Teller #2 gave him money, and Simon stated, “Hurry up, I’m not joking!” Simon continued to demand more money, so Bank Teller #2 gave Simon more money, and she slipped a hidden GPS tracking device into the money. As Simon left the bank, he is observed on camera fanning through the money that he took from Bank Teller #2. Simon found the hidden GPS tracking device, removed it from the wad of cash and dropped the tracker on the floor of the bank as he left. Simon quicky left the Medical Center, and outdoor video cameras captured Simon’s image after he took off his hat and glasses.
On August 28, 2019, investigators obtained and executed a search warrant at Simon’s apartment. Law enforcement recovered the two lanyards, shorts, shoes, and a shirt that matched the clothing worn by Simon during the robberies, as well as a black backpack consistent with the backpack Simon took from the donation bin. In addition, investigators recovered a single round of .357 Magnum ammunition in Simon’s kitchen cabinet.
On January 29, 2013, Simon was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison, after being convicted of bank robbery. As a result of this conviction, Simon knew he was prohibited from possessing ammunition.
Simon faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for bank robbery. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has not yet scheduled a sentencing date.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Duey and Mary Setzer, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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