Daniel Rosado pleaded guilty to robbing a Middlesex Federal Savings Bank branch in Davis Square on May 1, 2019. Photo courtesy of the Arlington Police Department.
A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection an armed bank robbery in Somerville last year that resulted in shots fired inside the bank.
Daniel Rosado, 32, of Providence, Rhode Island, pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery, one count of brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sentencing for is scheduled for June 15. Rosado was arrested and charged May 23 last year, and has been in custody since, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office.
Prosecutor said Rosado entered the Middlesex Federal Savings Bank in Somerville’s Davis Square on May 1 last year, brandished a handgun, fired a shot into the ceiling and pointed the firearm at customers and bank employees. Rosado ordered customers and bank employees to lay on the floor, approached a teller window, threw a backpack at the teller and demanded money.
While the teller filled the backpack with money, a customer exited the bank and flagged down a Somerville Police cruiser. The officer entered the bank, pointed his gun at the robber and ordered him to freeze. Rosado then faced the officer, pointed his gun in the officer’s direction and fired one shot. The officer shot back. Both missed and Rosado fled on food, with the officer following close behind.
As Rosado ran down College Avenue in Somerville, a bystander, noticing that Rosado was being pursued by a police officer, attempted to tackle Rosado, which caused Rosado to drop his backpack. Rosado kept running, and witnesses lost sight of him while police put the neighborhood on lockdown. Upon review of the backpack, law enforcement found a Webley revolver loaded with four unfired rounds of ammunition and two cartridge casings, as well as more than $500.
Further investigation, including forensic analysis of the backpack, linked the DNA profile found on the backpack to Rosado. A subsequent review of Rosado’s driver’s license photo matched the images of the robber captured on video surveillance at the bank.
According to prosecutors, Rosado has prior felony convictions, including negligent operation of a motor vehicle, larceny from a person and witness intimidation and assault by means of a dangerous weapon. Rosado was banned from possessing a firearm or ammunition because of these prior convictions.
Rosado faces up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 for the bank robbery charge, seven years and up to life in prison for brandishing the gun and a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life for firing the gun, to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
