HARRISBURG, Pa.–A Berks County man pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to three armed bank robberies in Berks, Lebanon and York counties.
Derek Pelker, 27, of Wernersville pleaded guilty to three counts of armed bank robbery, use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Pelker is the eighth person to plead guilty to the robberies at the BB&T Bank in East Prospect on April 24, 2015; the National Penn Bank in Oley on May 19, 2015 and the M&T Bank in Lebanon on April 5, 2016.
U.S. Attorney Bruce Brandler said the plea agreement specifies that Pelker will receive 25 years in prison when he is sentenced.
The following people have also been charged in relation to these robberies:
• Andrew Ishman, age 31, Wrightsville, pleaded guilty to the East Prospect bank robbery on October 3, 2016;
• Ryan Miller, a/k/a “Otis,” age 25, Robinson Township, pleaded guilty to the East Prospect and Oley Bank robberies on April 24, 2015 and December 6, 2016;
• Keith Pelker, age 28, Wernersville, pleaded guilty to the Lebanon bank robbery on October 3, 2016;
• Shannon Gadzouris, age 24, Shillington, pleaded guilty to the Lebanon bank robbery on October 3, 2016;
• Kelsie Bair, age 28, and Lindsey School, age 27, both of Lebanon, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact after they disposed of the weapon used in the Lebanon bank robbery off a pier in Ocean City, New Jersey. The weapon was ultimately recovered by the FBI scuba diving team; and
• William Papoutsis, Pelker’s uncle, age 35, of Reading, pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in relation to these robberies.
