The infamous “Spelling Bee Bandit,” who committed four bank robberies in a matter of weeks, was sentenced in federal court yesterday.

Jason S. Englen, 34, of Chelsea, was sentenced to 84 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Englen pleaded guilty in November 2017 to four counts of bank robbery.

A man later identified as Englen entered a branch of TD Bank in Arlington on Oct. 31, 2016, approached a teller and presented a note written on a deposit slip indicating a robbery and demanding cash. On the note, the word “robbery” was misspelled. The teller handed Englen money from the drawer and Englen fled the bank leaving the demand note behind.

Over the next few weeks, three additional banks were robbed in the same fashion: a branch of TD Bank in Reading on Nov. 5, a branch of Salem Five in Burlington on Nov. 7, and a branch of TD Bank in Peabody on Nov. 13. Based on the similarity of the robberies and the physical description of the robber, law enforcement, seeking help from the public, identified Englen as the robber, who was already in state custody on unrelated charges. Englen was arrested by federal authorities and charged on Dec. 12, 2016.

‘Spelling Bee Bandit’ Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison

by Banker & Tradesman time to read: 1 min
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