Leslie Isben Rogge

Leslie Isben Rogge[1] (born March 8, 1940) is an American bank robber. He is the first FBI Top Ten criminal to be apprehended due to the Internet.[2]

Leslie Isben Rogge
Leslie Isben Rogge, taken 1973, as presented by family after surrender
FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive
Charges
  • Escape from custody
  • Bank robberies (4 charges)
AliasBill Young
Description
Born (1940-03-08) March 8, 1940
Seattle, Washington, United States
NationalityAmerican
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight160 lb (73 kg)
OccupationCarpenter, expert recreational sailor, machinist
Status
Penalty65 years in prison
StatusImprisoned
AddedJanuary 24, 1990
Number430
Captured

Biography

Rogge was born in Seattle, Washington.[3]

Rogge was imprisoned at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas in the 1970s for car theft and grand larceny.[4] He was later convicted and sentenced to 25 years for a 1984 bank robbery in Key Largo, Florida. In September 1985, he bribed a corrections officer and escaped from prison in Moscow, Idaho.

Following his escape, he went on to commit additional bank robberies, including one at an Exchange Bank branch in El Dorado, Arkansas, and at a bank in High Point, North Carolina, in 1986. On January 24, 1990, Rogge became the 430th Fugitive to be added to the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, where he remained for the next six years.[4][5] He was featured on the television program Unsolved Mysteries and on America's Most Wanted five times.[4] In 1991, he also robbed a bank in Webb City, Missouri.[6]

Leslie Rogge's approach involved determining which bank would be a more viable option for carrying out a robbery and meticulously planning an escape plan by consulting which vehicle would be faster to escape.[7] When Rogge and his partner robbed a particular bank, they used the police scanner to monitor the state of the bank's alarm system and keep track of police activity. Meanwhile, Rogge would walk calmly and wait. When they escaped, a timed smoke bomb set the previous night would explode, providing a perfect distraction for their escape.[8]

On May 19, 1996, Rogge surrendered at the United States Embassy in Guatemala, after Guatemalan authorities had launched a manhunt upon being tipped off by someone who saw Rogge's photo on the FBI website.[9] While on the run, he spent time in Antigua, Guatemala, where he went by the name "Bill Young".[4]

Rogge stole more than $2 million and robbed approximately 30 banks in all, and is currently serving a 65-year sentence at Federal Correctional Institution, Sheridan in Sheridan, Oregon. He cannot be released until 2048, when he will be 108.

See also

References
  1. "FBI — Ten Most Wanted Fugitives FAQ". FBI. Archived from the original on 2015-10-13.
  2. "Wanted: Gentleman Bank Robber - Nish Publishing". lesrogge.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-27.
  3. "Ten Most Wanted Fugitive - Leslie Isben Rogge". FBI. Archived from the original on 25 October 1996.
  4. Moore, Molly (June 6, 1996). "You Can Run, But Not Hide, From the Net; FBI Home Page Nabs Fugitive in Guatemala". The Washington Post.
  5. Price, Joyce (February 22, 1991). "FBI's most wanted meet set criteria". The Washington Times.
  6. "Fugitive surrenders to FBI". UPI. Retrieved 2019-10-06.
  7. http://www.crimemagazine.com/wanted-gentleman-bank-robber
  8. https://gizmodo.com/the-anatomy-of-a-perfect-bank-heist-smoke-bombs-and-po-5798211
  9. "U.S. Fugitive Surrenders In Guatemala After Photo Is Seen On Internet". Associated Press. May 19, 1996.
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