Violent Wake County Felon Gets 15 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Bank Robbery

RALEIGH, N.C. - A federal judge sentenced Christopher Antonio Gilmore, 34, to 15 years in prison for committing an armed bank robbery.

According to court records and evidence presented at sentencing, Gilmore entered a First Citizen's Bank in Raleigh wearing sunglasses and a mask and armed with a loaded gun. Gilmore fired a bullet when he entered the bank. The bullet struck a cabinet just outside of the bank manager's office. The manager sat in the office but, by the grace of God, the cabinet stopped the bullet before it hit her. Gilmore pointed the gun at two bank tellers and ordered them to fill his backpack with money. The tellers put over $20,000 in the backpack along with a GPS tracker. Gilmore then forced the tellers to lay down behind the teller counter, yelling, "Everybody get in the back! Heads down or I'll start shooting again!" He then waved the gun at the manager ordering her to leave her office and join the tellers on the floor. Gilmore did not know there was another employee hid in the breakroom. That employee called 911.

Gilmore fled, but Officers with Raleigh Police Department (RPD) found Gilmore within minutes of the robbery at a nearby tire shop. When they arrested Gilmore, the officers found the gun used during the robbery, which he had stolen, the backpack filled with cash, and a high-capacity magazine for the gun.

Gilmore is a convicted felon whose criminal history spans a decade, including convictions for the following, 2015 attempted identity theft; 2019 breaking and entering and larceny; and 2023 assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, discharging a weapon into an occupied property, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

"This repeat thug should finally learn his lesson." said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. "Thank God he didn't kill any of these citizens, though he recklessly tried. We will continue to prosecute and remove vicious threats like this to allow our good citizens to live without fear."

"The violent nature of Mr. Gilmore's actions are reprehensible. To barge into a bank where people are conducting business or accessing their own hard-earned money and endanger their lives is ruthless, reckless, and justifies a long federal prison sentence, said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Aubart and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Dixon, and Jaren Kelly prosecuted the case. Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI's Raleigh Durham Safe Streets Task Force and Raleigh Police Department.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North CarolinaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. or on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-00121-FL.