BUFFALO -  A Buffalo man pleaded guilty in federal court to bank robbery. Michael Makolinski, 31, faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine or both. 

Between October and December 2007, Makolinski robbed five banks: the Bank of America in Batavia, N.Y., the Northwest Savings Bank in Erie, Pennsylvania, the Fairport Savings Bank in Irondequoit, N.Y., the First Niagara Bank in Lewiston, N.Y., and the Evans National Bank in Buffalo, N.Y. During each of the robberies, Makolinski displayed what appeared to be  a gun. The defendant confessed to committing the robberies in June, 2010 after being arrested by the Buffalo Police Department for an unrelated offense.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Buffalo Police Department and Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 13.

“In his greed to steal the money of others, this serial bank robber thought he could prey upon banks located is some of our smaller communities, as well as in Buffalo,” said U.S. Attorney William Hochul, Jr.. “As today’s convictions prove, the defendant’s belief was wrong.”