Crime & Safety

Alleged Bank Robber Tells Judge 'I Did Not Rob That Bank'

Milford man has lengthy criminal history, is suspect in connection to string of bank robberies in New York in June.





The Milford man arrested Tuesday in relation to the armed robbery at TD Bank on Aug. 21 has previously been convicted and served time for robbing a bank, among a lengthy list of other convictions.

Frank Mione, 47, of 16 Birchwood Lane, Milford, was arraigned in Merrimack's district court on Tuesday, Aug. 27, less than a week after he allegedly entered the TD Bank branch at 300 Daniel Webster Highway and pointed a shotgun at two tellers, threatening to shoot them if they didn't give him cash.

He was charged with robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm, both felonies, in last week's incident, but Mione's criminal history is extensive and dates back at least to 1990, when he was convicted of robbery in New York state, according to Merrimack prosecutor Melissa Kowalewski.

Mione entered the courtroom shackled at the hands and ankles, wearing white pants and a U.S. Army shirt, mumbling to himself. According to a police press release, he'd been arrested earlier in the day at Milford District Court where he has outstanding charges of possession of narcotics and resisting arrest, according to Kowalewski's rundown of his criminal history.

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Mione was very difficult to understand in during his arraignment, often speaking incoherently and repeatedly being asked to repeat himself by Judge Clifford Kinghorn. At one point the judge asked him if he was on medication, to which he said yes, he was on prescription medication.

Kinghorn ordered Mione be held on $250,000 cash-only bail, saying he agreed that Mione posed a danger to the community and was a flight risk as well.

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“He is originally from New York, so we are concerned that he may leave the jurisdiction and go to New York to avoid prosecution for this,” Kowalewski told the judge. “In addition, because of the allegations in this case, as well as his criminal history, we believe he's a significant danger to the community at large.”

In reading the recommended bail conditions, should he post the $250,000, Kowalewski said they were requesting he refrain from stepping foot on the TD Bank property and refrain from contact with the two women he is alleged to have pointed the shotgun at.

At the end of his arraignment, Mione, who said he would like the assistance of a public defender going forward, asked to speak. Kinghorn had earlier advised him to be careful of what he said, as he did not yet have a lawyer representing him.

Mione was apparently confused by the bail condition barring him from contact with the bank tellers. 

“She said names I don't even know,” Mione told Kinghorn.

“She's talking about two alleged victims that supposedly you pointed a shotgun at,” Kinghorn responded. “Those are the two women who work at the bank. As a further condition of bail, you are to remain off the premises of TD Bank, if you make bail. Do you understand that?”

“But I did not rob that bank,” Mione said.

In addition to the felony charges against him in Merrimack, and the pending charges in Milford, Kowalewski said Mione also has a protective order against him requested by his wife.

Mione's criminal history dates to the early 90s.

In 1994, he was convicted in federal court of robbing a bank and served 120 months in prison plus three years of supervised release.

In New Hampshire, Kowalewski said, Mione has a 2002 conviction of felony theft by unauthorized taking where he served six months of a 12-month sentence. He was convicted of an impersonation charge in Hudson in 2008 in which he received a 90-day deferred sentence. In New York, he was convicted of a 1990 robbery and served 12 months in prison and in 2001 he was charged with possession and served additional time.

In New Jersey, he had a 1992 fugitive from justice charge nol prossed and was convicted of robbery and burglary and sentenced to 2 to 10 months, stand committed.

A Google search of Mione's name turned up several stories from June in which he was named the suspect in a string of bank robberies in Manhattan in which he was the alleged getaway driver.

According to a story in the Huffington Post from June 14,  20-year-old Maverick Madore, who is believed to have robbed five banks in New Hampshire, went on a midtown bank robbing spree. Madore apparently tried to flee on foot through the Lincoln Tunnel after the car he was riding in, allegedly driven by Mione, crashed. According to the story, Mione escaped but Madore was apprehended.

Merrimack Police Lt. Denise Roy said Mione is the same Frank Mione suspected in the New York City robberies. She said he is the suspect in the case, but New York does not currently have an active arrest warrant for him.

Google searches of Madore show he grew up in New Hampshire. According to a Google+ page for the 20 year old, he lived in Milford and attended the Brentwood School in Merrimack. He shows up once in a Patch police log in Milford, charged in a motor vehicle accident, operating without a license, reckless operation and criminal mischief (vandalism) Feb. 22. He has a March 20 court date.

It is unclear which bank robberies Madore was connected to in New Hampshire and calls to the FBI have not been returned. 

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