Woman, 35, admits to robbing 3 banks

Advertiser Staff

A 35-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to the June 29 armed robbery of the Waipahu branch of Central Pacific Bank, and has admitted to robbing two other banks.

Leyen Gradle pleaded guilty last week to using an Airsoft gun to rob a teller at Central Pacific Bank. The nonlethal gun resembled a real weapon, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Wes Porter, who prosecuted the case.

Gradle also confessed to the July 29, 2003, robbery of the City Bank Waipahu branch and the March 11, 2002, robbery of the main branch of Bank of Hawai'i, he said.

Under a plea agreement, Gradle will be sentenced to 57 months in prison and pay $1,859 in restitution to the three banks, Porter said. She will be sentenced on June 6, 2005, by U.S. District Judge David Ezra.