Efrain Delacruz Sentenced

Providence Man Sentenced for Valentine’s Day 2017 Bank Robbery

PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who admitted to robbing a Providence bank as it was closing for the business day on Valentine’s Day in February 2017 was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison.

Efrain Delacruz, 35, previously admitted to the Court that on February 14, 2017, he entered a Santander Bank branch office on Elmgrove Avenue, approached a teller, and gave her a note that said, “give me all the money.  No dye packs, no fifties and no hundreds.”

When Delacruz fled the bank he dropped nearly half of the money in the vestibule.  Delacruz came back to the bank looking for the dropped money. Delacruz attempted to reenter the bank but was unsuccessful, because the doors were locked. He then fled in his vehicle, leading police on a chase that exceeded 6 miles, often at high speed. Delacruz struck as many as seven vehicles prior to getting cornered by Providence Police and stopping.

$3,569 of stolen funds was found in the center console of the car. The balance of the money handed to the defendant by the teller and dropped inside the bank was recovered.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith on June 19, 2018, Delacruz pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith also ordered Delacruz to serve 3 years supervised release upon completion of his term of incarceration.

The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range of imprisonment in this matter is 46-57 months. The government recommended the court impose a sentence of 57 months in prison.

Delacruz’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch, Providence Police Chief Hugh T. Clements, Jr, and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.

The case, investigated by the Providence Police Department and the FBI, was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence P. Donnelly.