~courtesy of The Scranton Journal
The suspect accused of robbing the Scranton offices of Peoples Bank in February has entered a guilty plea in federal court.
Court records show that Zachary Michael Anderson Wailes, 27, of Fort Dodge, entered a guilty plea to a federal bank robbery charge for allegedly entering Peoples Bank in Scranton on Feb. 25 while armed with a handgun and got away with about $20,000.
Wailes was quickly identified by the Greene County sheriff’s department using surveillance camera recordings from other robberies when Wailes was a suspect. Several similarities were noted.
Charges were initially filed by the sheriff’s department in the district court but those charges were dismissed when he was indicted in federal dourt.
Sentencing has not been set. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
A second suspect, Tyler Mattingly, 26, of Carroll, has entered a guilty plea to a Class C felony in district court for first degree theft. Mattingly admitted to his role in the robbery in a plea agreement by aiding and abetting Wailes.
Mattingly allegedly made a false phone call reporting an accident to draw law enforcement to the east side of Greene County and away from Scranton at the time of the robbery. His sentencing is planned in September, when he could be ordered to serve up to 10 years in state prison.
