A Kings Park man pleaded guilty to robbery and drug possession for stealing more than $4,000 from two Flagstar bank branches in December 2025.
On December 8, 2025, at approximately 3:43 p.m., Brian Blackford entered a Flagstar Bank in West Babylon, walked up to a teller behind the counter and handed her a note. The teller gave Blackford $1,400 and the defendant left. Police were called and an investigation was launched.
On December 10, 2025, at approximately 12:45 p.m., Blackford entered a Flagstar Bank in Deer Park, handed a note to a teller and pointed to his waist, implying he had a weapon. The teller gave Blackford $3,930 in cash and the defendant left. Police were called and responded to the scene.
Suffolk County detectives located Blackford later that day in Copiague and arrested him. The defendant was found with 2.35 grams of powder cocaine, $2,700 in stolen cash and a paper note stating, “give me $10,000 cash no funny business.”
On August 27, 2026, Blackford, 51, pleaded guilty to two counts of Robbery in the Third Degree and one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree, both Class D felonies.
“This defendant walked into two banks, made a threat and walked out with stolen cash,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Bank employees should never have to fear for their lives while simply doing their jobs. This defendant terrorized hardworking staff and now faces up to eleven years in prison for his criminal actions.”
Blackford is due back in court on October 1, 2026, and is expected to be sentenced to five-and-a-half to eleven years in prison.