FREEPORT

United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jimmy Odong, 25, of Portland, pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court to bank robbery arising from his robbery of Key Bank in Freeport last summer.

According to court documents, on July 17, 2015, at about 2:30 p.m., Odong stole a vehicle and cell phone from a woman in Portland. At about 3 p.m., he entered the Key Bank branch wearing a wig and sun glasses, pointed what appeared to be a gun at tellers and demanded cash.

After tellers complied, Odong absconded with about $ 11,700. He drove from scene of the robbery in the stolen vehicle. Police recovered the vehicle and a forensic examination revealed the defendant’s partial palm print on the outside of the vehicle.

Odong was arrested on July 23, 2015 and was found to be carrying about $1,180 in cash and the carjacking victim’s cell phone. He faces up to 20 years in jail and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Freeport, Portland, South Portland, Lewiston, Biddeford and Brunswick police departments; the Maine State Police; and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force comprised of agents and officers from the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

Delahanty praised the cooperation among these law enforcement agencies noting that “this bank robbery was quickly solved because local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies worked closely together.”

Two New Hampshire residents face up to 25 years in prison for a string of bank robberies that took place in Freeport, Portland and Lewiston, as well as in their home state, last summer.

This is the second announcement in as many days regarding a guilty plea involving a Freeport bank robbery. In another news release this week, Delahanty announced that Crystal Dufault, 33, and Joseph Richards, 46, both of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U. S. District Court to armed bank robbery and conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery.

The charges arise from the Aug. 3, 2015 armed bank robbery of Norway Savings Bank in Freeport by Richards; the Aug. 14, 2015 armed bank robbery of Franklin Savings Bank, in Franklin, New Hampshire by Dufault and Richards; the Sept. 4, 2015 armed bank robbery of University Credit Union in Portland by Dufault and Richards; and the Sept. 12, 2015 armed bank robbery of TD Bank in Lewiston, by Richards.

Two New Hampshire residents face up to 25 years in prison for a string of bank robberies that took place in Freeport, Portland and Lewiston, as well as in their home state, last summer.

Crystal Dufault, 33, and Joseph Richards, 46, both of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court to armed bank robbery and conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery.

According to the release, Richards got away with $5,854 from Norway Savings Bank.

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