Portage man sentenced to 9 years for madison bank robberies

MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ramon Howard, 37, Portage, Wisconsin, was sentenced Friday, September 18, by U.S. District Judge William Conley to nine years in federal prison for three bank robberies. Howard pleaded guilty to these charges on June 25, 2020.

Over the course of two weeks in September 2019, Howard robbed a bank and two credit unions in Madison, Wisconsin. He robbed the Associated Bank on East Towne Boulevard on September 13, the Summit Credit Union on Thierer Road on September 16, and the UW Credit Union on Northport Drive on September 26.

After the September 26 robbery, Howard and his co-defendant Antonio Rowe fled in a vehicle. Rowe drove at high speeds through residential neighborhoods, striking other vehicles and eventually crashing on East Washington Avenue. Howard and Rowe both fled on foot but were apprehended by Madison police. Howard was in possession of the stolen cash.

When sentencing Howard to nine years in prison for these bank robberies, Judge Conley noted that Howard has spent his adult life incarcerated or under supervision. At age 15, Howard was prosecuted as an adult for robbing and assaulting an elderly man. Judge Conley said that Howard frightened and traumatized the bank tellers, particularly in the last robbery where Howard threatened to kill them. Judge Conley remarked that these were serious offenses and that Howard would be held accountable for this “indefensible conduct.” In his allocution, Howard thanked the police department for how they handled his arrest, saying that it could have ended much worse.

Antonio Rowe has pleaded guilty to committing the September 13 and September 26 robberies with Howard, and to robbing the BMO Harris Bank on Sherman Avenue on September 10, 2019. Rowe will be sentenced by Judge Conley on October 20.

The charges against Howard and Rowe were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey C. Stephan.

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