18 USC 2113 contains several federal bank-related crimes, not one uniform robbery penalty. The ordinary robbery provision can carry up to twenty years, while theft, weapons, injury, killing, and forced accompaniment provisions change the analysis. Identify the charged subsection and the institution before estimating exposure. [1]
Robbery differs from nonviolent theft
Subsection (a) covers specified taking by force and violence or intimidation, attempted taking, and certain entry with criminal intent. Subsection (b) addresses taking and carrying away covered property without using the same robbery elements, with penalties tied to the statutory value distinction.
Intimidation can be disputed even when no weapon was displayed. Conversely, a theft involving bank funds does not automatically satisfy every robbery element. The precise conduct and legal definition matter.
The financial institution needs a federal connection
The statute defines covered banks, credit unions, and savings and loan associations through specified federal relationships. A business calling itself a financial service is not necessarily a covered institution. The prosecution must establish the connection required for the charged offense. [1]
Weapons and other conduct increase exposure
Section 2113(d) addresses assault or jeopardizing life with a dangerous weapon or device during specified offenses and carries a higher maximum. Other provisions cover killing or forced accompaniment. Do not confuse those statutory penalties with the ordinary twenty-year provision.
A separate section 924(c) firearm count can require consecutive punishment when its own requirements are met. Whether a qualifying predicate exists, the weapon conduct alleged, and the count’s legal validity require distinct review. [2]
- Obtain the indictment and identify each subsection.
- Review institution-status evidence and the alleged taking or attempt.
- Separate intimidation from actual weapon allegations.
- Calculate any separate firearm term and the Guidelines range.
Restitution, supervised release, and related charges can affect the practical outcome. The statutory maximum is not the sentence automatically imposed on every defendant.
Compare section 924(c) mandatory consecutive penalties and concurrent federal sentencing rules. A plea to a bank-robbery count and a plea including a separate firearm count can create materially different exposure even when both arise from the same event.
Primary sources
Sources checked: October 31, 2026.