A serial bank robber — who was finally stopped by a police officer?s bullet — was sentenced to nearly 54 years in federal court Friday.
Troy Gross, 44, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to bank robbery and brandishing a gun during a violent crime and was sentenced to 646 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett.
Gross robbed two banks this year, according to federal prosecutors.
On Jan. 30, he stole $11,520 from the Wachovia Bank at 1726 E. Northern Parkway while brandishing a semi-automatic handgun at customers and employees.
On Feb. 20 at 11 a.m., Gross returned to the same bank and pointed a gun at the head of a 67-year-old woman who then fainted, prosecutors said.
Gross began shooting at customers were a semi-automatic handgun, according to charging documents.
But Baltimore Police Sgt. Robert Eiseman and retired Police Officer Emrey Neale who were working security at the bank intervened.
Gross shot at the officers, and Eiseman returned fire, striking and incapacitating Gross, the documents state.
Though Gross? conviction was a successful for law enforcement, it also hurt city prosecutors? case against a man accused of a triple murder.
The Baltimore City State?s Attorney?s Office had to drop charges against Corey McMillon, the accused gunman in a triple murder in Remington, because Gross — a key witness in the case — discredited himself by robbing the banks.
Gross was scheduled to testify against McMillon, 29, who was charged with killing Nathan Gulliver, 49, Antwon Arthur, 38, and Steven Matthews, 36, at a drug and alcohol recovery house in the Remington area of Baltimore on Jan. 10, 2005.
McMillon is already serving a life sentence for murder in an unrelated case.
