East Boston Man Convicted for Multiple Bank Robberies

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Boston – An East Boston man was sentenced yesterday infederal court for multiple counts of armed bank robbery.
William DeVencinzi, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District JudgeDouglas P. Woodlock to 210 months in prison, to be followed by five years ofsupervised release and restitution. In July, DeVencinzi pleaded guilty to twocounts of armed bank robbery and two counts of attempted armed bank robbery.
DeVincenzi and his accomplice, Theodore Sawtelle, robbedEast Boston Savings Bank on Revere Beach Parkway in Everett and Bank of Americain Winthrop on March 3 and 4, 2011, respectively. In both robberies, he placeda pipe bomb on the teller's counter. DeVincenzi obtained $1,900 in cash fromthe Everett robbery and more than $3,000 in cash from the Winthrop robbery.
Following the two robberies, the FBI's Violent Crimes TaskForce developed a profile of the individuals suspected in the armed robberiesand local media published bank surveillance photos from the crimes. As aresult, the FBI received many tips and focused their attention on DeVincenzi,who was well known to the FBI having been previously convicted of armed bankrobberies and manslaughter in the 1980s.
Agents began surveillance on DeVincenzi. On March 8, 2011,DeVincenzi and Sawtelle were observed approaching the Bank of America on CanalStreet in Boston. DeVincenzi was observed changing into a blue N.Y. Yankeeswindbreaker and donning a pair of sunglasses and hat, and placing a pipe bombinto a green accordion-style folder as they approached Canal Street. Prior toentering the Bank of America, a uniformed Boston Police officer, unrelated tothe investigation appeared, and the pair abruptly turned around and left thearea.
The following morning, surveillance teams located DeVincenziand Sawtelle as they approached the Bank of America on Canal Street, and again,observed DeVincenzi changing into the N.Y. Yankees windbreaker, sunglasses andhat, and carrying the same accordion-style folder as they approached CanalStreet. The pair were arrested, and a six inch piece of pipe with an electronicmechanism was found inside the green accordion-style folder. The device wasdetermined to be rendered inert.
On September 25, 2012, Sawtelle was sentenced by JudgeWoodlock for his role in the two attempted bank robberies. Sawtelle wassentenced to 48 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervisedrelease.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, Richard DesLauriers,Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston FieldDivision; Guy Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF - Boston FieldDivision; Commissioner Edward Davis, Boston Police Department; Colonel TimothyP. Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Chief Terence M.Delehanty, Winthrop Police Department; and Chief Steven A. Mazzie, EverettPolice Department made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted byAssistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Ortiz's Major Crime Unit.