Sentencing in "takeover style" robbery

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Three Buffalonians will go to prison for an armed robbery at a Cheektowaga bank.

Antoinette Freeman, 24, Porche Allen, 22, and Darian Allen, 21, will spend three and a half years behind bars, for the armed robbery at the Bank of America on Dick Road, back in June. It’s the minimum amount they could have received for pleading guilty to second-degree robbery.

It was a terrifying bank holdup for customers and employees inside the bank. Three robbers stormed the bank with a gun, putting people in fear for their lives.

Judge Kenneth Case was in disbelief , Antoinette Freeman and siblings Darian and Porche Allen had little to no previous criminal records. Case said, “Had you all progressed to this point, I probably would have sentenced you to 10 years in state prison.”

The three all expressed how sorry they were, saying that their desperation for money was no excuse.

Porche Allen said, “I do take full responsibility. If I could go back, it never would have happened. It was an act of desperation, but it’s not my character at all.”

Darian Allen said, “I am dumbfounded by what I did, truly it won’t happen again.”

Antoinette Freeman said, “To anyone who was frightened by me, I want them to know I am dearly sorry. I never intended to harm anyone.”

Their families also feel for those who were in the bank that day. Darian and Porche’s mother Latonia Burdette said, “They made a bad choice in life, they are going to learn from this mistake and grow from it.”

Burdette said, “It’s a sad moment and a sad time, hard time now, but we’ll get through it as well. Again, apologize to the people in the bank because they didn’t know what was going on, so it’s fully understandable and we apologize to that.”

Judge Case said the combination of the gun they used being a BB gun, no past criminal records and that they all took responsibility from the beginning is why he sentenced them to three and a half years in prison, with five years post release supervision.