Newport News Man Sentenced for Bank Robbery

State of VA - A Newport News man has been sentenced to 12 years and three months in prison for robbing a local bank while armed with a firearm. Curtis A. Robertson, 39, was convicted of bank robbery with a dangerous weapon and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

According to court documents, the crime happened on Oct. 29, 2025. Robertson walked into a Newport News bank and waited in the teller line holding a newspaper.

When he reached the teller window, Robertson set the newspaper on the counter. It partially hid a firearm, but the barrel was visible and pointed at the teller. He then passed the teller a note demanding money, and the teller handed it over.

Robertson fled the bank with the stolen cash and left the note behind. He later threw away the newspaper and the hoodie he wore during the robbery, dumping them in nearby dumpsters.

Robertson struck again less than a week later. On Nov. 4, 2025, he entered another Newport News bank, got in line, and handed a teller a similar note demanding money.

After the second robbery, several people reported seeing a suspicious person running through backyards in the area. A witness later identified Robertson through photo surveillance. He was arrested on Nov. 6, 2025.

The sentencing was announced by Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, along with Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Norfolk Field Office. U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis handed down the sentence.

The Newport News Police Department assisted the FBI throughout the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels prosecuted the case.