MOBILE, Ala. — A Mobile man who handed a bank teller a note demanding money has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison, federal prosecutors announced.
U.S. District Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Montreal Leonta Anderson, 30, of Mobile, to 37 months in prison for bank robbery. After he completes his prison term in the federal Bureau of Prisons, Anderson will serve three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sean Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced the sentence.
A note, a silent alarm and a quick arrest
According to court documents, Anderson walked into a PNC Bank branch in Mobile on March 3, 2025, and handed a teller a note demanding money.
The teller activated the bank’s silent alarm. Officers with the Mobile Police Department responded quickly and took Anderson into custody.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mobile Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Why bank robbery is a federal crime
Bank robbery cases are often handled in federal court because banks are federally insured. Under federal law, taking or attempting to take money from a federally insured bank, credit union or savings institution by force, violence or intimidation is a federal crime. A demand note alone can be enough to satisfy the “intimidation” element, even when no weapon is displayed or mentioned.
The FBI typically investigates bank robberies in partnership with local police departments, which are often the first to respond. In Anderson’s case, the teller’s quick use of the silent alarm and the rapid response of Mobile police officers led to his arrest at the scene.
The maximum penalty for a standard federal bank robbery conviction is 20 years in prison. Penalties can increase significantly if a dangerous weapon is used or if someone is injured or killed.
How federal sentences are determined
In federal cases, judges consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which recommend a sentencing range based on the seriousness of the offense and the defendant’s criminal history. Judges also weigh other factors set out in federal law, including the nature of the crime, the need for deterrence and the protection of the public, before deciding on a final sentence.
There is no parole in the federal system. Federal inmates can earn limited credit for good conduct, but they generally serve the large majority of their sentences.
What supervised release means
Supervised release is a period of court-ordered supervision that begins after a federal prison sentence ends. During his three years of supervised release, Anderson will be monitored by a U.S. probation officer and will be required to follow conditions set by the court. Typical conditions include regular reporting to a probation officer, maintaining employment, avoiding new crimes and restrictions on possessing firearms.
Violating the conditions of supervised release can result in a return to federal prison.
Teller training and silent alarms
Bank employees are trained to prioritize safety during a robbery. That generally means complying with a robber’s demands, avoiding confrontation and activating alarms only when it is safe to do so. Silent alarms allow employees to alert police without drawing attention, giving officers the chance to respond while the robber is still at the scene or nearby.
In this case, that combination of a calm response inside the branch and a fast response outside of it led to an arrest before Anderson could get away.
Recent federal cases in the Southern District of Alabama
Anderson’s sentencing was one of several federal cases announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama this week. In a separate case, Judge DuBose also sentenced two south Mobile County men to prison for a bank fraud conspiracy involving stolen mail, aggravated identity theft and illegal firearms possession.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama prosecutes federal crimes in 13 southwest Alabama counties, including Mobile and Baldwin counties.