A man from Queens was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Eastern District Federal Court in Brooklyn for robbing a bank and committing acts of violence against customers during his parole. The defendant, who pleaded guilty in May of this year, admitted to the violent robbery at the Ridgewood Savings Bank in Queens.
The incident took place on April 6, 2023, when 55-year-old Gerald DeRosse entered the Ridgewood Savings Bank branch on Myrtle Avenue in Glendale, Queens. He grabbed the neck of an elderly female customer and threatened the bank teller, saying he would “blow her brains out” if she didn’t give him money. Another customer hid under a table in terror. The bank’s surveillance cameras captured the harrowing scene.
The bank teller complied with DeRosse’s demands and handed him $205 in cash. DeRosse then fled but was identified by the FBI a few weeks later and arrested.
Government documents revealed that DeRosse had at least seven prior convictions related to robbery, for which he served 13 years in prison. At the time of the incident, he had been released on parole for less than a month after serving time in state prison.
Eastern District Federal Prosecutor Breon Peace stated, “The defendant is a serial bank robber who terrorized hardworking bank tellers and innocent customers. The victims, including the elderly woman whose neck was grabbed, will never forget that day. We will continue to prosecute repeat offenders who show no respect for the law to protect our community.”