Brockton man charged in Lakeville bank robbery

BOSTON – A Brockton man was charged Friday in federal court in Boston with the Nov. 8, 2021 robbery of an Eastern Bank branch in Lakeville.

Nathon Caeser Ribeiro Neves, 22, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of bank robbery. Ribeiro Neves was detained following an initial appearance this morning before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judith G. Dein.

According to the charging documents, on Nov. 8, 2021, a masked individual – later determined to be Ribeiro Neves – entered an Eastern Bank branch located in Lakeville. There, Ribeiro Neves allegedly passed a teller two demand notes indicating a robbery and that, “a bombing would happen if no payment was made.” The teller gave Ribeiro Neves cash from her drawer and Ribeiro Neves exited the bank leaving the demand notes behind. The notes were later processed and determined to contain fingerprints.

On Nov. 15, 2021, an individual – later determined to be Ribeiro Neves – allegedly robbed a Cornerstone Bank branch in Worcester. Ribeiro Neves was arrested by law enforcement a few minutes after the robbery. According to the charging documents, Ribeiro’s fingerprints were obtained during his booking and found to be a positive match for the prints from the demand note in the Lakeville robbery.

The charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Lakeville Police Chief Matthew Perkins; and Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald, Jr. made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.