Florida man who used fake bomb to rob a bank drive-through gets 6 1/2 years

Nov. 26 (UPI) -- The U.S. Attorney's Office announced on Monday that a Florida man who admitted in federal court to holding up a bank drive-through with a fake bomb back in April received 6 1/2 years in federal prison.

Matthew Anthony Cosimini and Robert Gordon Shaw both confessed to using a fake bomb made from a flashlight and electrical tape at a Regions Bank.

During the robbery, the two men pulled into the drive-through in a stolen pickup truck and handed a note to the teller demanding money and saying there was a bomb. Only Cosimini was sentenced on Monday.

The teller handed Shaw about $14,100 while another bank employee called police. The men drove away, but they didn’t get very far and crashed into several Sanford Police patrol cars.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s office:

“Shaw and Cosimini fled in a stolen vehicle and responding officers from the Sanford Police Department pursued them. During the pursuit, Shaw caused damage to both a police vehicle and a civilian's vehicle. Police officers eventually stopped and arrested Shaw and Cosimini one mile from the bank. The officers also recovered the firearm and detonation device from the stolen vehicle. Further investigation revealed that the detonation device was a fake and that there were no explosives inside the bank.”

Shaw will be sentenced in January.

[Sun Sentinel] [DOJ]