Hefty Heister Serial Bank Robber Pleads Guilty To Robberies Throughout Northern California

OAKLAND – Wesley Allen Krohn, the Hefty Heister, pleaded guilty today to two counts of armed bank robbery, four counts of bank robbery, and one count of attempted bank robbery in federal court, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse, Special Agent in Charge John Bennett of the FBI’s San Francisco Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI’s Sacramento Field Division.

According to the plea agreement, Krohn, 34, of San Jacinto, Calif., admitted to committing two armed bank robberies in Pleasant Hill and Walnut Grove, as well as committing four unarmed bank robberies in Rohnert Park, Brentwood, Suisun City, and Elk Grove.  Krohn further admitted to attempting a bank robbery in Lodi.

On some of the robberies, Krohn entered the banks wearing a fake beard and a baseball hat in an attempt to disguise himself, approached the victim tellers, and presented a note that demanded money.

In one robbery, Krohn raised what appeared to be a pistol, pointed it in the direction of the teller, and ordered her to open the bottom two drawers.

Krohn admitted to robbing the following banks:

• $9,000 from Exchange Bank in Rohnert Park, California, on December 3, 2015
• $496 from Tri Counties Bank in Brentwood, California on December 21, 2015
• $650 from Wells Fargo Bank in Pleasant Hill, California on December 22, 2015
• $1,439 from Bank of Rio Vista in Walnut Grove, California on December 31, 2015
• $884 from US Bank in Suisun City, California on January 9, 2016
• $2,144 from Tri Counties Bank in Elk Grove, California on January 19, 2016

Krohn also admitted to attempting to rob US Bank in Lodi, California on January 19, 2016.

As part of his plea agreement, Krohn also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $14,623 to the above-listed banks.

Krohn was arrested on December 8, 2017, by FBI Agents and has been in custody since that date.

Krohn’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 6, 2018, at 2:00 p.m., before the Honorable Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr., U.S. District Court Judge, in Oakland.  Krohn faces a maximum statutory sentence of 25 years in prison for each count of armed bank robbery and 20 years in prison for each count of bank robbery and attempted bank robbery.  The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the Court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Vanessa Quant and Katie Turner.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Northern and Eastern Districts of California, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, and the police departments of Rohnert Park, Brentwood, Pleasant Hill, Suisun City, Elk Grove, Lodi, and Clear Lake.