Gonic Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robberies

            CONCORD - Christopher Kelley, 45, of Gonic, pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, between September 11, 2020, and October 9, 2020, Kelley committed three bank robberies in Rochester. He attempted to rob another bank in Wolfeboro on October 13, 2020.  In each of the incidents, Kelley claimed to have a bomb.

            Kelley is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23, 2022.

            “Bank robberies are violent crimes that endanger innocent people and cause untold emotional damage to bank employees and bystanders,” said U.S. Attorney Farley.  “By robbing multiple banks while claiming to have a bomb, this defendant left behind victims in each location who may be affected by these incidents for years to come.  As this case demonstrates, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to fight back against violent crime and to hold violent criminals accountable for their unlawful and dangerous conduct.”

            “Today, Christopher Kelley finally admitted to putting innocent bystanders in fear for their lives when he walked into four different banks in Rochester and Wolfeboro, claiming he had a bomb, and demanding cash from the tellers,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.  “While no one was physically injured, Mr. Kelley’s actions have had a lasting impact on everyone who was there. That’s why the FBI and our law enforcement partners will do everything possible to seek justice for the victims and protect the public from violent criminals like him.”

             This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Rochester Police Department and Wolfeboro Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Aaron Gingrande.

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