PORTLAND — The man whom police say pointed a .22 revolver at tellers at Ocean Communities Federal Credit Union and absconded with nearly $8,600 in cash Oct. 26, 2013 has pleaded guilty to federal bank robbery charges.

Philip Gage, 46, of Berwick, faces up to 25 years in federal prison in connection with that bank robbery and three others. He is also facing a minimum of 15 years and up to life for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and up to life in prison for using a firearm during the commission of an armed bank robbery.

The charges arise from the Aug. 21, 2013 armed bank robbery of Citizen’s Bank in Somersworth, N.H.; the Oct. 7, 2013 armed bank robbery of Peoples United Bank in Exeter, N.H.; the Oct. 19, 2013 armed bank robbery of Kennebunk Savings in Eliot; and the Oct. 26, 2013 armed robbery of the credit union in Sanford.

Gage also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, according to a statement issued by U.S. Attorney Thomas Delahanty II.

Gage was identified as a suspect after police found a light blue surgical glove on a path in the woods to the rear of Kennebunk Savings Bank in Eliot. Tests showed DNA on the glove was identical to that of Philip Gage, according to an affidavit on file at U.S. District Court in Portland. As well, a Dec. 30, 2011 photo on file at Somersworth Police Department and a recent photograph Gage posted on his Facebook page matched photographs taken from a surveillance photo at Ocean Communities Federal Credit Union, the affidavit revealed.

According to court records, during the Citizen’s Bank robbery, Gage displayed a note that read, in part, “I have a bomb and a gun; if you say a word, you will die,” and got away with $3,132. In the People’s United robbery, Gage’s note read, in part: “There’s a bomb in the trash can, keep it quiet,” and absconded with $1,451. During the Kennebunk Savings Bank robbery in Eliot, Gage pointed a Ruger Red Hawk .44 magnum revolver at tellers while an associate vaulted over the counter and took $7,896 from the cash drawers, according to Delahanty. During the Ocean Communities Federal Credit Union robbery, Gage pointed a Dan Wesson .22 caliber revolver at tellers and stole $8,574.

In the days following his arrest, Gage, a federal prisoner held at Cumberland County Jail, was placed on suicide watch by jail officials after he attempted to hang himself with a bed sheet.

Three others have also entered guilty pleas in connection with the spate of robberies and are awaiting sentencing.

Gage’s criminal history includes robbery in Florida in 1986, assault in Maine in 1999, possession of a firearm by a felon in Maine in 1999 and attempting to commit an unspecified Class B felony crime in Maine in 2002. 

“These armed bank robberies were quickly solved because local, state, county and federal law enforcement agencies across two states worked closely together,” said Delahanty.

The cases were investigated by the FBI, Maine State Police, and the Eliot, Kittery, Sanford, Berwick and York police departments in Maine, as well as the Exeter, Somersworth, Alton and Pembroke, N.H. police departments.

Police interviews with the suspects revealed that proceeds from the robberies were used to buy heroin in Lawrence, Mass.

A sentencing date has not been set.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.