SCRANTON, PA — Robert Wazny, a 33-year-old resident of Scranton, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 84 months in prison for brandishing a firearm during a bank robbery, a crime of violence. U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani handed down the sentence on Monday, December 11, 2023.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania made the announcement, with United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam outlining the details of the case. According to Karam, Wazny pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm during the robbery at an M&T Bank located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on July 23, 2021.
During the robbery, Wazny threatened bank employees with a 12-gauge shotgun while demanding cash. After obtaining the money, Wazny made a hasty escape in a vehicle, leading local police officers on a high-speed chase. However, his getaway was short-lived as he crashed his vehicle into a pole and attempted to flee on foot with a backpack containing the stolen money.
Despite Wazny’s efforts to evade capture, the police quickly apprehended him, recovering the stolen cash from his backpack. They also found a single-shot Sears and Roebuck 12-gauge shotgun and three buckshot shells at the crash site.
The case against Wazny resulted from a joint investigation by the FBI in Scranton and the Wilkes-Barre Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.
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