The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A bicycle, suits, disguise materials, and a fake handgun were among the items found during searches connected to two Florida bank robberies. According to the Department of Justice, a 40-year-old St. Petersburg man was charged with two counts of bank robbery, and if convicted, he could face up to 40 years in federal prison.
The robberies happened in Largo on August 24 and St. Petersburg on September 15. During both incidents, the suspect allegedly wore a mask with gray facial hair, an English cap, and glasses. He reportedly approached the teller counter, demanded money, and told the tellers not to include dye packs.
Investigators said the suspect used a bicycle to reach the first bank after leaving his car nearby. After the robbery, he reportedly left by bicycle and later drove away in his car. The car was later seen heading toward his home. Footage reportedly showed a vehicle leaving the home before the second robbery and returning afterward, and a person resembling the suspect was seen unloading a bicycle.
Police searched the suspect’s home, a storage unit, and another residence where he sometimes stayed. The home allegedly contained a bicycle, a blue suit, and a black bag resembling items from the first robbery, plus a black suit similar to clothing used in the second. The storage unit reportedly contained a backpack, a laptop bag, disguise items, work gloves, a fake handgun, and clothing resembling items worn during the second robbery. At the other residence, officers allegedly found a journal about bank robbery.
The suspect had earlier convictions. A 2018 federal case involving five bank robberies in Texas in 2016 resulted in a prison sentence of 10 years and one month. He was on supervised release at the time of the Florida allegations. Prosecutors said the Texas robberies also involved a similar mask and the same vehicle. In a separate 2008 case, he was convicted of attempted bank robbery after he and another person used Halloween masks and disguises in an effort to rob a bank.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.