California man pleads guilty in Redstone Township bank robbery
One of the two men charged with robbing a bank in Redstone Township pleaded guilty Monday and asked for speedy sentencing.
“I don’t want to waste the court’s time,” said Michael Paul Bowman, 37, of California, who pleaded guilty to robbery and other charges during what was scheduled to be a pre-trial hearing in Fayette County Court. “I just want to get this matter out of the way.”
On Nov. 25, Bowman, wearing a blue hoodie and tan-colored jacket, entered the PNC Bank on Integra Street and placed a gun on the counter of teller Amanda Wright.
“He threatened Ms. Wright with a semi-automatic-style pistol,” said Assistant District Attorney G.T. George, who read the facts of the case to Senior Judge Gerald Solomon.
George said Bowman made off with $1,246.
Bowman accepted a plea offer of seven to 14 years in prison.
He told Solomon he’s aware of what he’s doing by taking a plea offer and just wanted to take responsibility for his actions.
Bowman’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender Sue Harper, informed Solomon that her client is asking for a quick sentencing.
Solomon said he won’t set a date for the sentencing as he will instruct the adult probation office to provide him with a pre-sentence investigation as soon as possible and try to have Bowman sentenced within the next week.
Bowman was charged with five felony counts of robbery, two felony firearms violations, two counts of simple assault, and one count each of theft, receiving stolen property, possession of an instrument of crime, possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment.
A charge of simple assault was dismissed by a judge during Bowman’s preliminary hearing.
Bowman has been lodged in the Fayette County Prison since Dec. 16.
His alleged accomplice, Joseph Raymond Fetsko II, 36, of Marianna is scheduled for a pre-trial conference Aug. 29 before Judge Linda Cordaro. Fetscko is free on a $35,000 unsecured bond.