Kenneth Barnes, 55, of Erie, Pennsylvania, was convicted of a conspiracy to commit bank robbery. Barnes was also found guilty of suing a destructive device. Barnes, Brian Wells, 46 and two more co-conspirators carried the robbery of PNC Bank, outside Erie, on Aug. 28, 2003. Brian Wells was forced to wear a pipe bomb on his neck. Brian Wells passed a note to the bank teller to demand money.

Brian Wells died when the pipe bomb around his neck exploded. One co-conspirator died. The last co-conspirator, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, was declared mentally unfit to stand trial. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, is with a federal facility. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong will be examined in 2009 to determine if she is fit by then.

Kenneth Barnes has been sentenced to 45 years in prison.

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This entry was posted on Friday, December 5th, 2008 at 3:34 am and is filed under News.