Abington Man Charged with Robbing Three Banks

BOSTON – An Abington man was arrested and charged today in federal court in Boston with robbing three Boston-area banks.

John Soule, 52, was charged with three counts of bank robbery. Following his initial appearance this afternoon, U.S. Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley ordered Soule detained and scheduled a probable cause and detention hearing for Oct. 5, 2017.

According to court documents, Soule robbed a branch of the Eastern Bank in Cambridge on July 12, 2017; a branch of the Webster Bank in Boston on Aug. 9, 2017; and a branch of the Rockland Trust in Quincy on Sept. 8, 2017. In all three robberies, the defendant, wearing a hat, sunglasses, and gloves, entered the bank, jumped over the teller counter, and made verbal demands for the bank’s money. In total, Soule stole approximately $58,000 from the banks.

The charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of no greater 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting this case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.