Roanoke Rapids police lauded the work of the Eastern District United States Attorney’s Office for their work on a case which led to a guilty verdict Tuesday in federal court for Dannie Simon Parker Jr. in the 2017 robbery of PNC Bank off Julian R. Allsbrook Highway.
“I absolutely agree with the verdict,” interim Roanoke Rapids Chief Bobby Martin said this morning. “I’m glad they were able to get this gentleman in court and prosecuted. They took the case and prosecuted well and did a great job.”
Martin also credited the bank’s teller supervisor who activated a silent alarm and slipped bait bills with a GPS tracker in with the loot Parker collected. “She was definitely instrumental in leading us to the capture. She kept a cool, calm head and was definitely an asset to us.”
Officers stayed with the information received, said Martin. “With the information on the description it led us to I-95 which had quite a bit of traffic. They methodically went through and we were successful in getting him stopped with the help of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office.”
Detective Jeff Davis represented the police department in the Raleigh court proceedings which began Monday with jury selection. “Along with Mark Peck, Detective Davis was in charge of the case as far as evidence presented. He stepped up big time.”
Davis said Tuesday, “I congratulate U.S. attorneys (Donald) Pender and (Melissa) Kessler along with IT support. They did an outstanding job in preparing and prosecuting the case.”
In a statement late Tuesday, Eastern District United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon Jr. said Parker faces a maximum sentence of 20 years followed by three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Higdon gave a brief synopsis of the case in the statement, saying Parker utilized a handwritten demand note and stole $1,975 from the bank before fleeing.
In the passenger seat of the car Parker was driving were the funds from the robbery, as well as the demand note, and various other incriminating items.
Parker has two prior convictions for federal bank robbery, and was on federal supervised release at the time of the robbery.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and “make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.”
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Roanoke Rapids Police Department, and the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office.
