Portland Man Convicted of Bank Robbery After Four-Day Jury Trial
Individual Previously Convicted of Bank Robbery is Found Guilty of August 2007 Bank Robbery of U.S. Bank, Lombard-Emerald Branch

Portland, Ore. – On Friday, April 4, 2008, after four days of trial, a federal jury convicted Ralph Rene Williams, 57, of Portland, Oregon of bank robbery. Judge Anna J. Brown presided over the trial where the defendant, who was in custody of the U.S. Marshall, represented himself. The maximum penalty for the crime of bank robbery is 20 years in prison.

The trial involved the August 14, 2007 robbery of U.S. Bank, Lombard-Emerald Branch, where the defendant took over $27,000.00 in cash. The defendant wore a full disguise and used a firearm to threaten the tellers at the Lombard-Emerald Branch. An extensive investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) resulted in the government calling 31 witnesses, including bank tellers, experts in the areas of DNA, trace analysis, photo comparisons, and paint comparisons. The government additionally offered 60 exhibits for the consideration of the jury. The jury returned their verdict of guilty after deliberating for about one hour. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 20, 2008.

In 1989 Williams was convicted of robbing the nearby North Denver Branch of the First Interstate bank, during which time he also wore a disguise. He was convicted, for that robbery, by a jury in federal court and sentenced to 220 months in custody. Williams was released from custody late in 2004 and was on supervised release at the time of the August bank robbery.

This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Weinhouse and Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Grabriel.

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