Man pleads guilty to 2 bank robberies
A Chicora man pleaded guilty Tuesday to robbing two banks over the span of three days in July.
Alexander J. Welter, 22, pleaded guilty to felony robbery and theft before Butler County President Judge Thomas Doerr.
The plea agreement calls for a sentence of 2 to 5 years in state prison. At the time of sentencing June 6, Welter also will be sentenced on a probation violation adding 9 to 18 months for a total of 33 months to 6½ years in state prison. He also will be ordered to pay restitution and fines.
Welter continues being held in the Butler County Prison on $400,000 bail pending sentencing.
State police said Welter faced charges of felony robbery, terroristic threats, theft, receiving stolen property, misdemeanor simple assault, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance after two incidents, first in Center Township on July 16, and then Franklin Township on July 19.
Police said, in the July 16 incident, the Citizens Bank in the Giant Eagle at Clearview Mall in Center Township was robbed by a man wearing a motorcycle helmet. The man used a handwritten note to demand money.
“This is a robbery. I am armed. $3,000. No die (sic) packs,” the note read, according to police.
No weapons were seen or displayed during the robbery, and the man drove off on a motorcycle, which police said they believe he drove to an Oakland township home of a friend with whom he had been staying, taking that person's pickup truck.
Police identified Welter after the owner reported his truck missing. The victim told investigators that he believed Welter had taken the pickup.
Investigators said they recovered from the victim's garage the getaway cycle as well as the helmet and sweat shirt the suspect allegedly wore during the robbery.
While being wanted in that incident, Welter struck again July 19 at the First National Bank on Route 422 in Franklin Township, police said.
Police said in that incident Welter slid a note to a teller that read “this is a robbery I want $3,000 no bait money,” according to the criminal complaint. He was not wearing the motorcycle helmet in that incident, police said.
Welter made off with $4,000 in cash. He was later seen on video surveillance getting into a Chevrolet pickup truck in the area of the Broad Street Apartments, and was arrested at the apartment building.
Police said when arrested, Welter was found in possession of heroin baggies.
