A Valparaiso man has pleaded guilty to count one of an indictment charging him with bank robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Indiana said.

Sean Russell, 31, entered his plea last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

According to the indictment, on Feb. 3 Russell robbed the Valparaiso branch of Harris Bank and “did assault and put in jeopardy the life of another person by the use of a dangerous weapon, that is a knife.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is recommending a sentence “equal to the minimum of the applicable guideline range,” the plea agreement stated. The maximum sentence is 20 years and a fine of $250,000.

The case was investigated by the FBI.

Posted 4/25/2011