Las Vegas man pleads guilty in armed bank robberies
A Las Vegas man pleaded guilty Friday to charges of robbing a bank with a homemade simulated explosive device, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Vincent Earl Hagey, 46, entered the Bank of America at 4795 S. Maryland Parkway on Feb. 17 wearing a white hat, black suit coat and a blue tie. He presented a note to a teller stating that he had a bomb, according to admissions in his plea agreement.
When Hagey pressed a button in his clothing, wires and a blinking blue light lit up his chest. The teller gave Hagey $1,131, and he left the bank, according to his indictment.
On March 13, Hagey was arrested while leaving a Wells Fargo Bank at 3433 S. Maryland Parkway wearing the same clothes and homemade device from the February robbery. The simulated explosive he wore was made of batteries, wire and a lighted circuit board, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Under Hagey’s sleeve was a wire, which ran to a push-button near his cuff. He could activate the button to make the blue light on the circuit board blink on and off, authorities said.
In an interview with investigators, Hagey confessed to robbing both banks with the simulated contraption under his clothing. He pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery and one count of attempted armed bank robbery and is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 16.
Contact Briana Erickson at berickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5244. Follow @brianarerick on Twitter.
