Pittsburgh bank robber gets probation, time served

Chuck Biedka
Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 5:48 p.m. | Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 5:48 p.m.

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Bob Bauder | Tribune-Review

Pittsburgh Police converged on Smithfield Street on Monday, March 19, 2018, chasing a suspect believed to have hopped a Port Authority bus after robbing the Key Bank Downtown.

A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced a Pittsburgh man to time already served for robbing the Key Bank in Downtown last year.

Jonathan Owens-El, 56, formerly of the Hill District, has already served about 19 months, the U.S. Attorney’s office said Tuesday. In addition, Owens-El will serve three years of supervised release.

He was sentenced Tuesday by Senior U.S. District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.

Owens-El was convicted of robbing the Key Bank in Downtown Pittsburgh in March 2018.

Owens-El passed the teller a note that said, “No Dye, No Alarm 50’s, 20’s, 10’s” and the teller handed him $260 in U.S. currency, along with $40 wrapped around a GPS tracker, the government said.

Owens-El fled and got on a bus at Smithfield Street.

Police used the GPS device to locate Owens-El on a PAT bus.

According to the prosecution, Owens told investigators he “picked Key Bank at random and decided to rob the bank to support his drug addiction.”