Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of Maryland

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Two Time Convicted ATM Thief Sentenced to 44 Months in Prison

Stole Tools and Vehicles to Commit Bank Larcenies

Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Tracy Delong Fletcher, a/k/a “Sean Fletcher,”  “Sean Chappelle Fletcher” and “Benjamin Thomas,” age 39, of New Carrollton, Maryland today to 44 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiring to commit bank larceny, and for violating his supervised release arising from a previous bank larceny conviction.  Chief Judge Blake also ordered Fletcher to forfeit and pay $100,000 in restitution.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins.  

According to his plea agreement, from January 5, 2012 to May 7, 2013, Fletcher and his co-conspirators stole vehicles used to commit the larcenies, obtained tools to open ATMs and caused damage to bank property in order to commit bank larcenies.

More specifically, on February 21, 2013, Frederick County police officers responded to a commercial burglary alarm at a rental shop in Frederick.  Upon arrival, they saw a man run from the front of the business and enter a van.  The van struck a patrol car as it fled the area.  Police chased the van, which reached a speed of 100 mph.  After driving through ditches and avoiding law enforcement efforts to disable the van, the occupants jumped out as the van was in gear and attempted to run away.  Officers apprehended Fletcher and another individual.  Fletcher initially gave officers the false name “Benjamin Thomas.” Fletcher was wearing dark clothing and gloves, and also had a black mask.  The ignition switch of the van had been damaged.  Also in the van were three chain saws and three cut saws, which had been stolen from the rental business.

On May 7, 2013, police officers were called to a bank branch in Potomac, Maryland.  An individual saw three men forcibly removing the ATM using a front end loader and a chain, causing approximately $100,000 in damages. They then attempted to put the ATM into a stolen truck. Officers arrived and the individuals fled on foot. 

A review of cell phone records revealed that Fletcher made multiple calls around this time using a cell tower in the area of the bank.  Shortly after these calls were made and using the false name “Sean Fletcher,” Fletcher arrived at a hospital in Prince George’s County where he was treated for a deep laceration to his hand.

Fletcher was previously convicted of bank larceny in federal court in Maryland and sentenced to 70 months in prison.  After serving his sentence and while on supervised release for his previous conviction, he conspired to commit the bank larceny described above.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office and Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan, who prosecuted the case.