A disgraced former officer with the Mukwonago Police Department was charged on Jan. 17 in federal court with robbing a M&I Bank in June 2010.
According to the federal complaint, Alvin J. Brook was off-duty on June 15, 2010 when he allegedly jumped over the service counter at the M&I Bank in Mukwonago and used his department-issued firearm to strong arm three clerks into giving him more than $50,000 in unmarked cash.
The complaint states that Brooks, 41, threatened to kill the employees if they exited the bank vault and then fled the scene.
One clerk told police investigating the robbery at the time that the suspect seemed to have police or military training, according to the complaint. Another employee said the gun used in the robbery resembled one issued to the investigating officer, a glock model 23.
Police noted that in the surveillance footage it appeared the robber had a hand-held radio antenna protruding from his pocket. One victim said in the complaint that she heard “police chatter” during the incident, as if the suspect had a police scanner on him, the complaint states.
The Wisconsin State Crime Lab was able to pull a latent finger print from a plastic bag left at the scene, according to the complaint, but they could find no matches for the print in the state database.
That changed after Brook was charged in November 2010 with felony misconduct. According to the criminal complaint in that case, Brook falsified preliminary breath tests for his 39-year-old live-in girlfriend, who was ordered to maintain absolute sobriety by a Waukesha County court after being convicted of her third drunken-driving offense.
Brook resigned from the Mukwonago Police Department in December 2010 after 21 years of service. He pleaded no contest to the charges in September 2011 and was sentenced to two years probation with a minimum five-month jail sentence.
Last August law enforcement received information from an unspecified source that Brook had committed the M&I Bank robbery, according to the federal complaint.
The Wisconsin Crime Lab tested the latent print developed from the plastic bag and found it matched a print for Brook. Investigators note in the complaint that it was standard procedure for Mukwonago Police officers to take home hand-held radios and Brook was issued a glock model 22 by the department.
Brook is expected to appear at a bond hearing at the Milwaukee federal courthouse on Monday, Jan. 27.
Brook’s attorney Paul Bucher said that he hopes to get his client out on bail.
“He is presumed innocent and we will have to look at the evidence available to us,” Bucher said.
Brook is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret B. Honrath, according to court records.
Showing posts with label Bank Robbery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bank Robbery. Show all posts
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Trial Begins for Sgt. Michael Tindall Charged with Bank Robbery
A Conroe police officer robbed a local bank two years ago because he had mounting financial problems and used his knowledge about the inner workings of the bank to pull off the crime, a federal prosecutor said Thursday.
Former Conroe police Sgt. Michael Tindall had maxed out all four of his credit cards and had two overdrawn bank accounts when he allegedly robbed the First Bank of Conroe, where he worked as a security guard for 17 years on his off days, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Kebharu Smith during opening statements of Tindall's trial in Houston federal court.
A road map of the evidence will show “he prepared for this crime,” Smith said.
Defense attorney Robert Scardino acknowledged Tindall was a bad money manager, but told jurors that the evidence is mostly circumstantial and that investigators failed to look at a suspect known to have robbed several banks in Montgomery County.
Tindall, a 22-year veteran police officer, is accused of robbing the bank on Aug. 11, 2008, stealing more than $28,000. He was arrested by FBI officials March 24, 2009.
Bank employees recognized Tindall as the robber from the video surveillance and the bank senior vice president notified authorities the next day, investigators said.
The video captured the suspect entering the bank shortly before 9:30 a.m., wearing a white motorcycle helmet with a clear visor, aviator-style sunglasses, gloves, a dark jacket or shirt, blue jeans and carrying a black bag. Employees said the suspect had physical characteristics similar to Tindall. A bank teller said the suspect's voice sounded similar to Tindall's voice.
Prosecution evidence
Conroe police officers, after reviewing the video, also said that the suspect walked and used gestures similar to Tindall, investigators said.
Smith said the evidence will show that two days before the crime Tindall rented a Chevrolet Malibu. The vehicle's odometer showed he drove 10 miles, about the same miles it took to drive from the rental car lot to his apartment, then to the bank and back to the rental car lot.
Police records will show that he also used his police radio to monitor traffic to wait for the opportune moment to rob the bank. He turned on the radio 30 minutes before he robbed the bank and turned it off about 30 minutes after the crime, Smith said.
Investigators found a white helmet in Tindall's garage, Smith said.
He also used his inside knowledge of the bank. He demanded the teller open the “bottom drawer” because he knew that's where the bank kept the large bills, the prosecutor said.
Scardino said there were explanations for many of the coincidences described by Smith. He said his evidence will show that Tindall rented the car because his girlfriend was using his car to visit relatives. He used the radio on Aug. 11, his day off, because he wanted to keep tabs on his district, he said.
Explaining details
Scardino acknowledged the evidence will show that Tindall deposited a hot $1,500 check from another account into his account at First Bank of Conroe on Aug. 10 to cover overdrafts. He also acknowledged that Tindall made a $5,000 cash deposit in his account at another bank near his home on the day of the robbery, but that money was a loan from Tindall's parents, not a bank robbery. Besides, Tindall had $150,000 in a retirement account, he said.
He also said that all five tellers at the bank during the robbery each gave different descriptions of the suspect.
In addition, FBI investigators never looked into another potential suspect until two weeks ago.
The man in question is known to have robbed banks in the area and had similar physical characteristics as the robbery suspect.
Former Conroe police Sgt. Michael Tindall had maxed out all four of his credit cards and had two overdrawn bank accounts when he allegedly robbed the First Bank of Conroe, where he worked as a security guard for 17 years on his off days, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Kebharu Smith during opening statements of Tindall's trial in Houston federal court.
A road map of the evidence will show “he prepared for this crime,” Smith said.
Defense attorney Robert Scardino acknowledged Tindall was a bad money manager, but told jurors that the evidence is mostly circumstantial and that investigators failed to look at a suspect known to have robbed several banks in Montgomery County.
Tindall, a 22-year veteran police officer, is accused of robbing the bank on Aug. 11, 2008, stealing more than $28,000. He was arrested by FBI officials March 24, 2009.
Bank employees recognized Tindall as the robber from the video surveillance and the bank senior vice president notified authorities the next day, investigators said.
The video captured the suspect entering the bank shortly before 9:30 a.m., wearing a white motorcycle helmet with a clear visor, aviator-style sunglasses, gloves, a dark jacket or shirt, blue jeans and carrying a black bag. Employees said the suspect had physical characteristics similar to Tindall. A bank teller said the suspect's voice sounded similar to Tindall's voice.
Prosecution evidence
Conroe police officers, after reviewing the video, also said that the suspect walked and used gestures similar to Tindall, investigators said.
Smith said the evidence will show that two days before the crime Tindall rented a Chevrolet Malibu. The vehicle's odometer showed he drove 10 miles, about the same miles it took to drive from the rental car lot to his apartment, then to the bank and back to the rental car lot.
Police records will show that he also used his police radio to monitor traffic to wait for the opportune moment to rob the bank. He turned on the radio 30 minutes before he robbed the bank and turned it off about 30 minutes after the crime, Smith said.
Investigators found a white helmet in Tindall's garage, Smith said.
He also used his inside knowledge of the bank. He demanded the teller open the “bottom drawer” because he knew that's where the bank kept the large bills, the prosecutor said.
Scardino said there were explanations for many of the coincidences described by Smith. He said his evidence will show that Tindall rented the car because his girlfriend was using his car to visit relatives. He used the radio on Aug. 11, his day off, because he wanted to keep tabs on his district, he said.
Explaining details
Scardino acknowledged the evidence will show that Tindall deposited a hot $1,500 check from another account into his account at First Bank of Conroe on Aug. 10 to cover overdrafts. He also acknowledged that Tindall made a $5,000 cash deposit in his account at another bank near his home on the day of the robbery, but that money was a loan from Tindall's parents, not a bank robbery. Besides, Tindall had $150,000 in a retirement account, he said.
He also said that all five tellers at the bank during the robbery each gave different descriptions of the suspect.
In addition, FBI investigators never looked into another potential suspect until two weeks ago.
The man in question is known to have robbed banks in the area and had similar physical characteristics as the robbery suspect.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Deputy Sgt. John Michael Keane II Arrested for Robbing Bank
On Tuesday afternoon, police in Chesapeake, VA, arrested Sgt. John Michael Keane II, 32, he is accused of robbing a bank in the same city where he works as a deputy sheriff.
According to a statement released by the police, at 2:10 p.m., Sgt. Keane entered the BB&T bank on Volvo Parkway and handed a bag to a teller “implying that he was conducting a bank robbery.”
The teller complied, stuffing the bag with money and handed it back. The robber then fled the scene in a red car.
Shortly thereafter, a Chesapeake K-9 officer spotted a car matching the description of the getaway vehicle. Another officer pulled over the Mercury Sable driven by Keane.
Police claim to have found evidence in Keane’s car, linking him to the robbery.
Keane has been a deputy with the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office since 1998. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in July 2008, and supervised intake operations at the Chesapeake Correctional Center.
According to Sheriff’s Office spokesman, Sgt. David Rosado, Keane has been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the robbery investigation.
According to a statement released by the police, at 2:10 p.m., Sgt. Keane entered the BB&T bank on Volvo Parkway and handed a bag to a teller “implying that he was conducting a bank robbery.”
The teller complied, stuffing the bag with money and handed it back. The robber then fled the scene in a red car.
Shortly thereafter, a Chesapeake K-9 officer spotted a car matching the description of the getaway vehicle. Another officer pulled over the Mercury Sable driven by Keane.
Police claim to have found evidence in Keane’s car, linking him to the robbery.
Keane has been a deputy with the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office since 1998. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in July 2008, and supervised intake operations at the Chesapeake Correctional Center.
According to Sheriff’s Office spokesman, Sgt. David Rosado, Keane has been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the robbery investigation.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
UpDate On Officer Timothy Carson Charged with Bank Robbery
A Minneapolis police officer charged with bank robbery lived in the Center Point area as a child.
Timothy Edward Carson, 28, was charged Jan. 7 in federal court with robbing a bank in Apple Valley, Minn., and could be connected to up to a dozen Twin Cities robberies in late December and early January, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Center Point-Urbana Superintendent Alan Marshall confirmed Carson attended district schools for the second through ninth grades, before moving away. Efforts to contact Carson’s parents weren’t successful Monday.
Carson was charged after an Apple Valley officer stopped his car the morning of Jan. 6 because it lacked a front license plate. The traffic stop occurred about three miles from a bank that was robbed later that morning.
The officer released Carson after he showed his police identification, but he noticed Carson’s car near the bank while responding to the robbery report about an hour later. Carson was about an hour late for that day’s shift, which began minutes before the robbery.
A police detective and an FBI agent interviewed Carson that evening.
Carson at first denied involvement, but then admitted his role, leading them to clothing used in the robbery, discarded in a trash can outside police headquarters.
Carson began work as a Minneapolis officer in January 2007, according to the Star Tribune. He has been a member of the department’s SWAT unit for nearly two years.
After Carson’s arrest, Minneapolis police named him as a suspect in robberies at convenience stores, a pharmacy, a coffee shop, and at least one other bank in Minneapolis and its suburbs.
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Timothy Edward Carson, 28, was charged Jan. 7 in federal court with robbing a bank in Apple Valley, Minn., and could be connected to up to a dozen Twin Cities robberies in late December and early January, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Center Point-Urbana Superintendent Alan Marshall confirmed Carson attended district schools for the second through ninth grades, before moving away. Efforts to contact Carson’s parents weren’t successful Monday.
Carson was charged after an Apple Valley officer stopped his car the morning of Jan. 6 because it lacked a front license plate. The traffic stop occurred about three miles from a bank that was robbed later that morning.
The officer released Carson after he showed his police identification, but he noticed Carson’s car near the bank while responding to the robbery report about an hour later. Carson was about an hour late for that day’s shift, which began minutes before the robbery.
A police detective and an FBI agent interviewed Carson that evening.
Carson at first denied involvement, but then admitted his role, leading them to clothing used in the robbery, discarded in a trash can outside police headquarters.
Carson began work as a Minneapolis officer in January 2007, according to the Star Tribune. He has been a member of the department’s SWAT unit for nearly two years.
After Carson’s arrest, Minneapolis police named him as a suspect in robberies at convenience stores, a pharmacy, a coffee shop, and at least one other bank in Minneapolis and its suburbs.
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Thursday, January 07, 2010
SWAT Officer Timothy Carson Arrested for Bank Robbery
Officer Timothy Carson, 28, a Minneapolis police SWAT team member has been charged with bank robbery. The officer, from Rosemount, Minn. was ordered held without bail after a federal court hearing Thursday. Carson is accused of robbing a Wells Fargo bank in suburban Apple Valley on Wednesday, when $4,580 was taken.
Police Chief Tim Dolan said Thursday that officers in his department helped break the case, and the FBI was investigating.
Dolan told reporters that he was shocked by the arrest, and that his department spends a tremendous amount of resources trying to recruit the best people to the force.
"We do have a few that fail," he conceded. "It does tarnish the badge, the badge of the Minneapolis Police Department."
The officer was not immediately charged and authorities did not immediately say which specific robberies they believe he committed. FBI spokesman E.K. Wilson said he couldn't comment.
Officer Timothy Edward Carson was initially booked into the Dakota County Jail, but officials said he was no longer there late Thursday morning and is the custody of the U.S. Marshal's Service.
The 28-year-old officer had been assigned to the 3rd Precinct of south Minneapolis.
"It's disgusting," said John Delmonico, president of the Minneapolis Police Federation. "I don't even know what words I could use ... The actions of this guy have a bad reflection on every Minneapolis cop today. For all the cops who go out and do a good job every day, it's pathetic."
Delmonico said the union will do nothing to help the accused officer.
"Whatever they do to this guy, in my opinion, won't be enough," he said.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Former Officer Christian Torres Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery
A former New York City police officer pleaded guilty on Tuesday to robbing a Sovereign Bank branch in the East Village twice in 2007, with the help of his companion, who was a teller there.
The former officer, Christian A. Torres, 23, of Queens, was arrested in April 2008 after robbing another Sovereign Bank branch, near Reading, Pa. The revelation that Mr. Torres, who joined the Police Department in 2007, had a second career as a serial bank robber stunned his friends and colleagues. In May, Mr. Torres was sentenced in Philadelphia to 10 years in prison for the Pennsylvania robbery.
On Tuesday, Mr. Torres pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery, bank larceny and conspiracy to defraud a bank. He admitted robbing the Sovereign branch at 57 Avenue A, at East Fourth Street, on June 8 and Nov. 16, 2007.
In the first robbery, the authorities said, Mr. Torres entered the bank and handed his companion, Christina Dasrath, a teller at the branch who was on duty, a note ordering her to “empty both drawers” or else he would “start shooting.” She handed him $16,305 from her teller drawer.
Five months later, Mr. Torres returned to rob the same bank branch, the authorities said. As employees were opening the branch, he approached them and ordered them to open the door. When one of them refused, he threatened to kill that employee and pulled back the side of his jacket to reveal the black handle of a gun tucked into his waistband. Once inside the bank, Mr. Torres ordered the employees to look away from him, to leave their cellphones on a table and to open the vault. He also tied up the legs of another employee.
He took latex gloves out of a duffel bag, put on a ski mask and told an employee to put money in the bag. Then he ordered the employees into the vault, took their keys and told them to stay inside for 10 minutes, threatening that he might return. He took off with about $102,000.
Mr. Torres faces up to 30 years in prison for bank fraud conspiracy, 25 years in prison for bank robbery and 10 years in prison for bank larceny. Judge Laura Taylor Swain of Federal District Court in Manhattan will impose sentence on Nov. 6.
Ms. Dasrath pleaded guilty to bank fraud, bank larceny and false statements on Sept. 5. Judge Swain sentenced her to 30 months in prison on Jan. 9.
Paul S. Missan, a lawyer in Reading, Pa., who represented Mr. Torres in the robbery cases, said in a phone interview that Mr. Torres cooperated with the authorities and regretted his crimes.
The former officer, Christian A. Torres, 23, of Queens, was arrested in April 2008 after robbing another Sovereign Bank branch, near Reading, Pa. The revelation that Mr. Torres, who joined the Police Department in 2007, had a second career as a serial bank robber stunned his friends and colleagues. In May, Mr. Torres was sentenced in Philadelphia to 10 years in prison for the Pennsylvania robbery.
On Tuesday, Mr. Torres pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery, bank larceny and conspiracy to defraud a bank. He admitted robbing the Sovereign branch at 57 Avenue A, at East Fourth Street, on June 8 and Nov. 16, 2007.
In the first robbery, the authorities said, Mr. Torres entered the bank and handed his companion, Christina Dasrath, a teller at the branch who was on duty, a note ordering her to “empty both drawers” or else he would “start shooting.” She handed him $16,305 from her teller drawer.
Five months later, Mr. Torres returned to rob the same bank branch, the authorities said. As employees were opening the branch, he approached them and ordered them to open the door. When one of them refused, he threatened to kill that employee and pulled back the side of his jacket to reveal the black handle of a gun tucked into his waistband. Once inside the bank, Mr. Torres ordered the employees to look away from him, to leave their cellphones on a table and to open the vault. He also tied up the legs of another employee.
He took latex gloves out of a duffel bag, put on a ski mask and told an employee to put money in the bag. Then he ordered the employees into the vault, took their keys and told them to stay inside for 10 minutes, threatening that he might return. He took off with about $102,000.
Mr. Torres faces up to 30 years in prison for bank fraud conspiracy, 25 years in prison for bank robbery and 10 years in prison for bank larceny. Judge Laura Taylor Swain of Federal District Court in Manhattan will impose sentence on Nov. 6.
Ms. Dasrath pleaded guilty to bank fraud, bank larceny and false statements on Sept. 5. Judge Swain sentenced her to 30 months in prison on Jan. 9.
Paul S. Missan, a lawyer in Reading, Pa., who represented Mr. Torres in the robbery cases, said in a phone interview that Mr. Torres cooperated with the authorities and regretted his crimes.
Mr. Missan said:
The judge had him personally tell the facts of the case, and he expressed remorse. He explained that he did it because he needed money to get through the Police Academy. He knows that’s no excuse. He regrets it. From the very first day, he began cooperating with the authorities. He went so far as to meet with the national head of security at Sovereign Bank to help them improve security in the future. This is very rare. He feels a horrible sense of disgrace. He takes full responsibility.
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The judge had him personally tell the facts of the case, and he expressed remorse. He explained that he did it because he needed money to get through the Police Academy. He knows that’s no excuse. He regrets it. From the very first day, he began cooperating with the authorities. He went so far as to meet with the national head of security at Sovereign Bank to help them improve security in the future. This is very rare. He feels a horrible sense of disgrace. He takes full responsibility.
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Saturday, July 11, 2009
Officer Eddie Smith Jr Waives Right to Hearing for Attempted Bank Robbery
A Fort Washington police officer who allegedly tried to burglarize a Temple Hills bank June 10 waived his right Thursday to a preliminary hearing in his upcoming trial.
After being arrested by his coworkers in police District 4, Eddie Smith Jr., 41, was suspended without pay.
His attorney, John McKenna of Upper Marlboro, did not immediately return calls for comment.
Ramon Korionoff, a spokesman for the Prince George's County's state's attorney's office, said the office and the defense are working together to come up with a possible plea bargain.
Smith's next court date had not yet been determined, he said.
A 16-year veteran of the force, Smith was not on duty at the time of the incident but was carrying his department-issued handgun and was wearing his uniform.
Smith remained outside the SunTrust Bank at 4625 Old Branch Ave. during the attempted burglary while codefendant Earl Blake Sr., 52, of Capitol Heights tried to break into the bank's vault, police said.
The two men were found with burglars' tools, such as crowbars, an electrical cord, a cut-off saw and saw blades after fleeing from the scene.
Police picked up Blake on a nearby road and later picked up Smith after identifying him as a suspect.
Smith was charged with burglary, malicious destruction of property, for the damage to the vault, and with using a handgun in the commission of a felony. He was also charged with possessing and permitting the use of burglars' tools with intent to use in the commission of a burglary.
The criminal investigation has been turned over to the FBI. Richard Wolf, a spokesman for the bureau's Baltimore field office, said Friday the investigation is ongoing. After the criminal investigation and prosecution are completed, county police will begin an internal investigation.
Smith's next court date had not been determined, Korionoff said Thursday.
Blake was charged with burglary, malicious destruction of property and possessing burglars' tools with intent to use in the commission of a burglary.
Blake is being represented by public defenders Dent Lynch and Anne Gold-Rand.
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Previous Story: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/06/cpl-eddie-smith-jr-charged-with-trying.html
After being arrested by his coworkers in police District 4, Eddie Smith Jr., 41, was suspended without pay.
His attorney, John McKenna of Upper Marlboro, did not immediately return calls for comment.
Ramon Korionoff, a spokesman for the Prince George's County's state's attorney's office, said the office and the defense are working together to come up with a possible plea bargain.
Smith's next court date had not yet been determined, he said.
A 16-year veteran of the force, Smith was not on duty at the time of the incident but was carrying his department-issued handgun and was wearing his uniform.
Smith remained outside the SunTrust Bank at 4625 Old Branch Ave. during the attempted burglary while codefendant Earl Blake Sr., 52, of Capitol Heights tried to break into the bank's vault, police said.
The two men were found with burglars' tools, such as crowbars, an electrical cord, a cut-off saw and saw blades after fleeing from the scene.
Police picked up Blake on a nearby road and later picked up Smith after identifying him as a suspect.
Smith was charged with burglary, malicious destruction of property, for the damage to the vault, and with using a handgun in the commission of a felony. He was also charged with possessing and permitting the use of burglars' tools with intent to use in the commission of a burglary.
The criminal investigation has been turned over to the FBI. Richard Wolf, a spokesman for the bureau's Baltimore field office, said Friday the investigation is ongoing. After the criminal investigation and prosecution are completed, county police will begin an internal investigation.
Smith's next court date had not been determined, Korionoff said Thursday.
Blake was charged with burglary, malicious destruction of property and possessing burglars' tools with intent to use in the commission of a burglary.
Blake is being represented by public defenders Dent Lynch and Anne Gold-Rand.
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Previous Story: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/06/cpl-eddie-smith-jr-charged-with-trying.html
Friday, June 19, 2009
Former Officer Charles Harpster & Wife Arrested for Robbing Bank
A former Henrico County police officer who pleaded guilty in 2006 to stealing marijuana from the evidence room has been arrested and charged with holding up a bank in Bend, Ore., a television station there is reporting on its Web site.
Charles Harpster, 54, who was on the Henrico force for 30 years, was arrested with his wife, Tammi Truschke, Tuesday night after the robbery of the Bend Bank of Cascades, KTVZ reported.
Police arrested the couple at a tavern in nearby La Pine, where they had allegedly used the stolen money to win $700 at video poker while ordering beer and cheesesteaks, the station reported. Bail for the two was set at $500,000, KTVZ reported.
In Henrico in 2006, Harpster and his wife pleaded guilty to distributing less than an ounce of marijuana. Both received 12-month suspended sentences and were fined $100. They were originally charged with felony drug distribution, but the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor.
Harpster also agreed to surrender his law enforcement credential and not to serve as a police officer for at least 10 years, the prosecutor said. Harpster and his wife had spent about two weeks in jail before being released on bond.
Henrico Police Chief Henry W. Stanley Jr. said in 2006 that the drugs were stolen from the Henrico evidence room at about the same time that Harpster, a narcotics investigator, was making final his retirement plans.
Charles Harpster, 54, who was on the Henrico force for 30 years, was arrested with his wife, Tammi Truschke, Tuesday night after the robbery of the Bend Bank of Cascades, KTVZ reported.
Police arrested the couple at a tavern in nearby La Pine, where they had allegedly used the stolen money to win $700 at video poker while ordering beer and cheesesteaks, the station reported. Bail for the two was set at $500,000, KTVZ reported.
In Henrico in 2006, Harpster and his wife pleaded guilty to distributing less than an ounce of marijuana. Both received 12-month suspended sentences and were fined $100. They were originally charged with felony drug distribution, but the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor.
Harpster also agreed to surrender his law enforcement credential and not to serve as a police officer for at least 10 years, the prosecutor said. Harpster and his wife had spent about two weeks in jail before being released on bond.
Henrico Police Chief Henry W. Stanley Jr. said in 2006 that the drugs were stolen from the Henrico evidence room at about the same time that Harpster, a narcotics investigator, was making final his retirement plans.
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Information & Photo: http://kohd.com/page/131439
Friday, June 12, 2009
Cpl Eddie Smith Jr Charged with Trying to Rob Bank
A 16-year veteran of the Prince George's County Police Department has been charged with allegedly trying to rob a bank early Wednesday morning, acting as a lookout — dressed in his police uniform — while another man tried to saw into the bank's vault.
Cpl. Eddie Smith Jr., 41, of the 9700 block of Rider Court in Fort Washington has been suspended without pay after being arrested by officers from his own police district.
Shortly after 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department responded to an alarm at the SunTrust Bank at 4625 Old Branch Ave. in Temple Hills. Responders called in police from District 4, the district where Smith served as a patrol officer, according to Maj. Andy Ellis, the police department's chief spokesman.
Smith was off-duty at the time but was in uniform and carrying his department-issued handgun, although the weapon was never used in the incident or brandished, Ellis said.
Investigators believe Smith likely remained outside the bank during the attempted robbery, while Earl Blake Sr., 52, of the 1900 block of Brooks Drive in Capitol Heights was allegedly inside the bank, unsuccessfully trying to break into the vault.
Smith was found with a pry bar, electrical cords and saw blade and was charged with burglary, malicious destruction of property for the damage to the vault and with using a handgun in the commission of a felony. He was also charged with possessing and permitting the use of burglars' tools with intent to use in the commission of a burglary.
Blake was found with a crowbar and cut-off saw, which he claims Smith provided him, and charged with burglary and malicious destruction of property. He was also charged with possessing burglars' tools with intent to use in the commission of a burglary.
Both men had fled from the bank before police arrived. Blake was picked up by police on a nearby road, and Smith was located hours later after investigators identified him as a suspect.
Ellis said under department policy, an internal investigation will commence after the state's criminal investigation.
He was unable to confirm Thursday afternoon how the two men allegedly broke into the bank or how Blake and Smith knew each other but said Blake is not affiliated with the police department.
He said investigators have no evidence at this point that any other officers were involved or had any knowledge of the crime. Ellis said about 175 officers work in police District 4.
Police officials denounced the incident as disappointing and disconcerting.
"One bad cop can tarnish the badge that we all wear," Ellis said. "This is something that's upsetting to all hard-working police officers."
Ellis said officers new to the force undergo background checks, polygraphs and psychological tests, but the department does not require the process be repeated during an officer's tenure.
In a statement Thursday, Police Chief Roberto L. Hylton said he was "disheartened" and will not tolerate wrongdoing by any member of the department.
"Bad cops have no place in our profession; they tarnish the good work that is being done by the rest of our employees," Hylton said. "We will be very thorough in investigating this case along with any others to which this investigation may lead."
Vince Canales, president of the county's Fraternal Order of Police, said Thursday the alleged robbery attempt is "very disappointing" but that it is an isolated incident and not reflective of the department, adding that hiring practices for officers are stringent.
"I would hope that the citizens of the county wouldn't paint the entire agency in this light," he said.
Canales cautioned that the investigation is ongoing. He said if Smith is found guilty, "clearly he will have to pay the price for those actions like any member of the community."
Smith is being held on $250,000 bond at the Department of Corrections in Upper Marlboro, and Blake is being held on $100,000 bond.
Preliminary hearings for Smith and Blake are scheduled for 8:45 a.m. July 9 in Prince George's County District Court. Attorneys had not been listed Thursday afternoon in the court for either defendant.
Calls Thursday to a phone number listed for Smith's address went unanswered. No phone number was listed for Blake.
Cpl. Eddie Smith Jr., 41, of the 9700 block of Rider Court in Fort Washington has been suspended without pay after being arrested by officers from his own police district.
Shortly after 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department responded to an alarm at the SunTrust Bank at 4625 Old Branch Ave. in Temple Hills. Responders called in police from District 4, the district where Smith served as a patrol officer, according to Maj. Andy Ellis, the police department's chief spokesman.
Smith was off-duty at the time but was in uniform and carrying his department-issued handgun, although the weapon was never used in the incident or brandished, Ellis said.
Investigators believe Smith likely remained outside the bank during the attempted robbery, while Earl Blake Sr., 52, of the 1900 block of Brooks Drive in Capitol Heights was allegedly inside the bank, unsuccessfully trying to break into the vault.
Smith was found with a pry bar, electrical cords and saw blade and was charged with burglary, malicious destruction of property for the damage to the vault and with using a handgun in the commission of a felony. He was also charged with possessing and permitting the use of burglars' tools with intent to use in the commission of a burglary.
Blake was found with a crowbar and cut-off saw, which he claims Smith provided him, and charged with burglary and malicious destruction of property. He was also charged with possessing burglars' tools with intent to use in the commission of a burglary.
Both men had fled from the bank before police arrived. Blake was picked up by police on a nearby road, and Smith was located hours later after investigators identified him as a suspect.
Ellis said under department policy, an internal investigation will commence after the state's criminal investigation.
He was unable to confirm Thursday afternoon how the two men allegedly broke into the bank or how Blake and Smith knew each other but said Blake is not affiliated with the police department.
He said investigators have no evidence at this point that any other officers were involved or had any knowledge of the crime. Ellis said about 175 officers work in police District 4.
Police officials denounced the incident as disappointing and disconcerting.
"One bad cop can tarnish the badge that we all wear," Ellis said. "This is something that's upsetting to all hard-working police officers."
Ellis said officers new to the force undergo background checks, polygraphs and psychological tests, but the department does not require the process be repeated during an officer's tenure.
In a statement Thursday, Police Chief Roberto L. Hylton said he was "disheartened" and will not tolerate wrongdoing by any member of the department.
"Bad cops have no place in our profession; they tarnish the good work that is being done by the rest of our employees," Hylton said. "We will be very thorough in investigating this case along with any others to which this investigation may lead."
Vince Canales, president of the county's Fraternal Order of Police, said Thursday the alleged robbery attempt is "very disappointing" but that it is an isolated incident and not reflective of the department, adding that hiring practices for officers are stringent.
"I would hope that the citizens of the county wouldn't paint the entire agency in this light," he said.
Canales cautioned that the investigation is ongoing. He said if Smith is found guilty, "clearly he will have to pay the price for those actions like any member of the community."
Smith is being held on $250,000 bond at the Department of Corrections in Upper Marlboro, and Blake is being held on $100,000 bond.
Preliminary hearings for Smith and Blake are scheduled for 8:45 a.m. July 9 in Prince George's County District Court. Attorneys had not been listed Thursday afternoon in the court for either defendant.
Calls Thursday to a phone number listed for Smith's address went unanswered. No phone number was listed for Blake.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Former Officer Christian Torres Sentenced to 10 years for Robbing Bank
PHILADELPHIA
A former New York transit officer who pulled a gun on three bank tellers, one of them nine months pregnant, during a Reading bank heist was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison.
Christian Torres, 22, still faces charges in New York for two bank heists there.
Torres, of New York City, told the judge he regrets letting down his fiancee and his family, defense lawyer Angelo MacDonald said.
In his youth, Torres had won a scholarship to Rye Country Day School and attended the John Jay College of Criminal Justice before leaving to enter the police academy, the lawyer said.
"It is a shame," MacDonald said. "He's a bright kid, and he seems like a nice kid."
U.S. District Judge Thomas Golden sentenced Torres at the bottom of the sentencing range. Torres has provided authorities information in the New York case, but his lawyers plan to wait to see the evidence before deciding if he will plead to those charges.
He also has met with Sovereign Bank officials since his arrest to discuss security measures, lead defense lawyer Paul Missan said.
Torres admitted he pulled the April 2008 "takeover" heist of the Sovereign Bank branch in Reading, which occurred as the bank was opening for the morning. Wearing a hat and wig, he approached a bank employee in the parking lot, followed her inside and forced employees into a vault at gunpoint before making off with $113,000.
Police had been notified early on, and Torres was arrested , and the money recovered , a short time later.
The Pennsylvania crime followed a pair of 2007 robberies at a Sovereign branch in New York, in which he is charged with teaming up with an ex-girlfriend who worked there. Former teller Christina Dasrath admitted she shared bank security measures with Torres, helped stage the robberies and took a cut of the more than $100,000 in proceeds.
Dasrath is serving a 30-month federal term.
"I think the fact that they got away with it empowered them, it sort of led to the next one, and then the next one," MacDonald said Monday.
Torres has been in prison since his arrest after the Reading robbery. He used his service revolver in that holdup, the defense said. His sentence includes a mandatory seven-year sentence on the firearm charge, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph A. LaBar said.
______________________
http://wfmz.com/view/?id=911770
A former New York transit officer who pulled a gun on three bank tellers, one of them nine months pregnant, during a Reading bank heist was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison.
Christian Torres, 22, still faces charges in New York for two bank heists there.
Torres, of New York City, told the judge he regrets letting down his fiancee and his family, defense lawyer Angelo MacDonald said.
In his youth, Torres had won a scholarship to Rye Country Day School and attended the John Jay College of Criminal Justice before leaving to enter the police academy, the lawyer said.
"It is a shame," MacDonald said. "He's a bright kid, and he seems like a nice kid."
U.S. District Judge Thomas Golden sentenced Torres at the bottom of the sentencing range. Torres has provided authorities information in the New York case, but his lawyers plan to wait to see the evidence before deciding if he will plead to those charges.
He also has met with Sovereign Bank officials since his arrest to discuss security measures, lead defense lawyer Paul Missan said.
Torres admitted he pulled the April 2008 "takeover" heist of the Sovereign Bank branch in Reading, which occurred as the bank was opening for the morning. Wearing a hat and wig, he approached a bank employee in the parking lot, followed her inside and forced employees into a vault at gunpoint before making off with $113,000.
Police had been notified early on, and Torres was arrested , and the money recovered , a short time later.
The Pennsylvania crime followed a pair of 2007 robberies at a Sovereign branch in New York, in which he is charged with teaming up with an ex-girlfriend who worked there. Former teller Christina Dasrath admitted she shared bank security measures with Torres, helped stage the robberies and took a cut of the more than $100,000 in proceeds.
Dasrath is serving a 30-month federal term.
"I think the fact that they got away with it empowered them, it sort of led to the next one, and then the next one," MacDonald said Monday.
Torres has been in prison since his arrest after the Reading robbery. He used his service revolver in that holdup, the defense said. His sentence includes a mandatory seven-year sentence on the firearm charge, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph A. LaBar said.
______________________
http://wfmz.com/view/?id=911770
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Veteran Officer Sgt. Michael Tindall Robs Bank
At 1 p.m. the FBI announced the arrest of a 23 year veteran of the Conroe Police Department for allegedly robbing the 1st Bank of Conroe, located at 2201 Westview in Conroe on Aug. 11, 2008.
Sgt. Michael Tindall was arrested this morning at the FBI field office in Conroe.
According to the complaint, Tindall was off-duty and monitoring a police radio, when he allegedly walked into the bank wearing gloves, a white motorcycle helmet with a clear visor and aviator style glasses, a dark color jacked or shirt, blue jeans, white athletic shoes, carrying a black bag and demanded money, which was received in the amount of over $28,000.
Details emerging from the press conference stated Tindall was employed at that Bank part-time as a security officer. The complaint states the robber only demanded money from the bottom drawer, which did not contain “bait money” used to track robbers, which is said to be that bank’s policy and not an industry standard.
During the investigation, FBI Special Agent Soo J. Barrow reviewed surveillance video from Aug. 10, the day prior to the robbery, when a uniformed officer, identified as Tindall by CPD Task Force Officer Dorcy McGinnis, used a rear entrance that allows access to the teller area, where he lingered talking on a cell phone, and walked into the drive-through area. A review of Tindall’s bank account, at that bank, shows he made a deposit around that time, but the time spent in the teller area, approximately 12 minutes, far exceeded that required to have made the transaction, according to the complaint.
Conroe Police Chief Charlie Ray stood alongside FBI officials and also addressed the media during the press conference.
Additional details will be added soon, along with video of the press conference.
_____________
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6337329.html
Sgt. Michael Tindall was arrested this morning at the FBI field office in Conroe.
According to the complaint, Tindall was off-duty and monitoring a police radio, when he allegedly walked into the bank wearing gloves, a white motorcycle helmet with a clear visor and aviator style glasses, a dark color jacked or shirt, blue jeans, white athletic shoes, carrying a black bag and demanded money, which was received in the amount of over $28,000.
Details emerging from the press conference stated Tindall was employed at that Bank part-time as a security officer. The complaint states the robber only demanded money from the bottom drawer, which did not contain “bait money” used to track robbers, which is said to be that bank’s policy and not an industry standard.
During the investigation, FBI Special Agent Soo J. Barrow reviewed surveillance video from Aug. 10, the day prior to the robbery, when a uniformed officer, identified as Tindall by CPD Task Force Officer Dorcy McGinnis, used a rear entrance that allows access to the teller area, where he lingered talking on a cell phone, and walked into the drive-through area. A review of Tindall’s bank account, at that bank, shows he made a deposit around that time, but the time spent in the teller area, approximately 12 minutes, far exceeded that required to have made the transaction, according to the complaint.
Conroe Police Chief Charlie Ray stood alongside FBI officials and also addressed the media during the press conference.
Additional details will be added soon, along with video of the press conference.
_____________
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6337329.html
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Officer Shatoya Wright Accused of Aiding a Bank Robbery
COLUMBUS, Ga.
A Columbus patrol officer was placed on administrative leave after the FBI accused her of aiding a bank robbery.
Shatoya Wright was arrested Monday afternoon and charged with making false statements to the FBI.
Agents said a man charged with robbing a Wachovia Bank in Oct. 2007 told them Wright helped him steal $8,000 during the heist. Accused bank robber Odis Christopher Hallstock said Wright also helped him pass counterfeit $100 bills through the bank.
Columbus Police Chief Ricky Boren said Wright was hired 3 months after the robbery and passed all background checks.
Wright made her initial court appearance Tuesday and was released on $5,000 bond.
_____________
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/174/story/636241.html
A Columbus patrol officer was placed on administrative leave after the FBI accused her of aiding a bank robbery.
Shatoya Wright was arrested Monday afternoon and charged with making false statements to the FBI.
Agents said a man charged with robbing a Wachovia Bank in Oct. 2007 told them Wright helped him steal $8,000 during the heist. Accused bank robber Odis Christopher Hallstock said Wright also helped him pass counterfeit $100 bills through the bank.
Columbus Police Chief Ricky Boren said Wright was hired 3 months after the robbery and passed all background checks.
Wright made her initial court appearance Tuesday and was released on $5,000 bond.
_____________
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/174/story/636241.html
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Former Officer Rolando Balanos Jr Charged with Bank Robbery
The son of Hialeah's former police chief was arrested Wednesday morning, two days after he is accused of robbing a bank, according to detectives.
Rolando A. Bolaños Jr., a former police officer himself, was charged with the strong arm bank robbery of a Bank Atlantic in Hialeah -- a city where he's well known by police, politicians and attorneys.
Police said the former cop walked into the bank with a black baseball cap hanging low over his face, and then he handed the bank teller a note demanding money. He walked out with a stack of cash and rolled away in his black Mercedes Benz.
The married 36-year-old is the son of former Hialeah Police Chief Rolando Bolaños Sr., a man who was famous for single-handedly stopping bank robbers in 1996.
His voluntary arrest comes five years after his last run-in with the law, when the Hialeah police discovered Bolaños failed to disclose a grand theft auto charge when he applied for the department. The officer narrowly escaped misdemeanor charges by surrendering his police certification on Jan. 5, 2004.
A year earlier, the police chief's other son, Daniel Bolaños, resigned from the police department as well. He and his brother were arrested for a 1998 police brutality incident, and Daniel Bolaños later resigned under pressure from Miami-Dade prosecutors, who agreed to drop the two felony official misconduct counts.
After another joint police beating in April 2003, a jury found both brothers violated a man's civil rights when they beat him during an arrest.
Daniel Bolaños' defense attorney at the time, Michael Band, said his client's decision to leave law enforcement took a toll on other family members.
Family members did not say what toll Rolando Bolaños' recent arrest warrant would take on the family.
Daniel Bolaños, who was contacted Wednesday morning, sighed heavily into his phone's receiver as he said he already knew the purpose of the call.
''Right now, I have no comment,'' he said slowly, without changing a single tone in his voice.
He asked to be called later in the day.
According to Hialeah police spokesman Detective Carl Zogby, Bolaños used his own car to drive to and from the bank at 7775 W. 33rd Ave., and police tracked him down by identifying his license plate.
Wednesday morning, detectives got in contact with Bolaños Jr. or someone close to him and arranged an arrest by 10:50 a.m.
However, Hialeah Councilman José Caragol said anyone who would have seen Bolaños would have recognized him.
''He's easy to find. Everyone knows who and where his wife and kids are,'' he said.
Caragol, who served as the city's spokesman for more than two decades while Bolaños' father was police chief, said the chief took great care in raising his kids -- and that the bank robbery charge was a shame.
The former police chief once had an impeccable record with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and during the violent and chaotic 1980s, he ran Hialeah's police department with an iron fist.
Years later, Bolaños Sr. admitted to lying under oath when he told prosecutors he did not know about his son's 1989 arrest for auto theft, which later caused his son trouble when he was accused of lying on his application to the police department.
At the time, the chief told a prosecutor, ``If it came down to saving my son or telling the truth, I would have been happy to lie.''
Bolaños Sr. was Hialeah's first Hispanic police chief, and he briefly gained fame for arresting three bank robbers who happened to rob a Hialeah bank just as he drove by it.
Rolando A. Bolaños Jr., a former police officer himself, was charged with the strong arm bank robbery of a Bank Atlantic in Hialeah -- a city where he's well known by police, politicians and attorneys.
Police said the former cop walked into the bank with a black baseball cap hanging low over his face, and then he handed the bank teller a note demanding money. He walked out with a stack of cash and rolled away in his black Mercedes Benz.
The married 36-year-old is the son of former Hialeah Police Chief Rolando Bolaños Sr., a man who was famous for single-handedly stopping bank robbers in 1996.
His voluntary arrest comes five years after his last run-in with the law, when the Hialeah police discovered Bolaños failed to disclose a grand theft auto charge when he applied for the department. The officer narrowly escaped misdemeanor charges by surrendering his police certification on Jan. 5, 2004.
A year earlier, the police chief's other son, Daniel Bolaños, resigned from the police department as well. He and his brother were arrested for a 1998 police brutality incident, and Daniel Bolaños later resigned under pressure from Miami-Dade prosecutors, who agreed to drop the two felony official misconduct counts.
After another joint police beating in April 2003, a jury found both brothers violated a man's civil rights when they beat him during an arrest.
Daniel Bolaños' defense attorney at the time, Michael Band, said his client's decision to leave law enforcement took a toll on other family members.
Family members did not say what toll Rolando Bolaños' recent arrest warrant would take on the family.
Daniel Bolaños, who was contacted Wednesday morning, sighed heavily into his phone's receiver as he said he already knew the purpose of the call.
''Right now, I have no comment,'' he said slowly, without changing a single tone in his voice.
He asked to be called later in the day.
According to Hialeah police spokesman Detective Carl Zogby, Bolaños used his own car to drive to and from the bank at 7775 W. 33rd Ave., and police tracked him down by identifying his license plate.
Wednesday morning, detectives got in contact with Bolaños Jr. or someone close to him and arranged an arrest by 10:50 a.m.
However, Hialeah Councilman José Caragol said anyone who would have seen Bolaños would have recognized him.
''He's easy to find. Everyone knows who and where his wife and kids are,'' he said.
Caragol, who served as the city's spokesman for more than two decades while Bolaños' father was police chief, said the chief took great care in raising his kids -- and that the bank robbery charge was a shame.
The former police chief once had an impeccable record with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and during the violent and chaotic 1980s, he ran Hialeah's police department with an iron fist.
Years later, Bolaños Sr. admitted to lying under oath when he told prosecutors he did not know about his son's 1989 arrest for auto theft, which later caused his son trouble when he was accused of lying on his application to the police department.
At the time, the chief told a prosecutor, ``If it came down to saving my son or telling the truth, I would have been happy to lie.''
Bolaños Sr. was Hialeah's first Hispanic police chief, and he briefly gained fame for arresting three bank robbers who happened to rob a Hialeah bank just as he drove by it.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Officer James Gaddis Accused of Robbing Bank Free on Bond
MURPHYSBORO, Ill.
A Carbondale police officer accused of robbing a bank is free on $1 million bond.
A Jackson County jailer says 26-year-old James Gaddis posted bond Monday afternoon.
He'd been jailed since his arrest last month with neighbor Anthony Fike. Authorities accuse them of robbing the First Southern Bank in Carbondale last October.
Authorities say two suspects wearing motorcycle helmets robbed the bank of more than $22,000 at gunpoint, then fled by motorcycle.
Police contend Gaddis made a bogus 911 call to divert police to a trailer park on the other side of town during the robbery. A prosecutor says investigators later recognized Gaddis' voice in the taped 911 call.
Gaddis is suspended without pay. Fike already has been free on bond.
A Carbondale police officer accused of robbing a bank is free on $1 million bond.
A Jackson County jailer says 26-year-old James Gaddis posted bond Monday afternoon.
He'd been jailed since his arrest last month with neighbor Anthony Fike. Authorities accuse them of robbing the First Southern Bank in Carbondale last October.
Authorities say two suspects wearing motorcycle helmets robbed the bank of more than $22,000 at gunpoint, then fled by motorcycle.
Police contend Gaddis made a bogus 911 call to divert police to a trailer park on the other side of town during the robbery. A prosecutor says investigators later recognized Gaddis' voice in the taped 911 call.
Gaddis is suspended without pay. Fike already has been free on bond.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Former Officer James Gaddis Also had Plans to Burglarize Police Chief's Home
MURPHYSBORO
A Carbondale Police officer planned to burglarize the home of former Police Chief Bob Ledbetter and other Carbondale residences on the department’s
House Watch list before he was arrested, a detective testified Friday.
Detective Mike Ryan of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department said Officer James D. Gaddis revealed the plan to him nearly two hours after Gaddis was arrested in connection with the Oct. 9 armed robbery of First Southern Bank on Murphysboro Road in Carbondale.
The testimony came at a preliminary hearing for Gaddis at the Jackson County Courthouse Friday.
Gaddis has not yet entered a plea in response to the charges.
Interim Chief Jeff Grubbs said active officers have access to the list, which includes homes whose occupants will be absent for reasons such as vacations.
Grubbs said additional precautions have been taken to maintain security at homes on the list. None of the homeowners on the list have reported burglaries, he said.
Patrol officers check homes on the list three times a day until residents return, said Officer Randy Mathis, the department’s community resource officer.
Grubbs said he has complete confidence in the officers who still have access to the list, and that Gaddis’ actions should not reflect the entire department.
“Police put a positive spin (on the case) and put one of its own to justice,” he said.
Ledbetter did not return phone messages left Friday and Sunday.
Ryan said Gaddis confessed to planning the robberies because he was concerned for his family’s safety.
Ryan said Gaddis saw his neighbor, Anthony M. Fike, 35, of Murphysboro, sell drugs to an individual with a gun.
Before Gaddis’ preliminary hearing, Fike pleaded not guilty to the charge that he was the second suspect in the bank robbery. Fike turned himself into police Jan. 15 and has been released on bond.
Gaddis remains in Jackson County Jail on $1 million bond.
Ryan said Fike and Gaddis also planned to rob banks in Ziegler and Royalton, Gaddis’ hometown where he graduated high school as valedictorian.
The two men began discussing the robberies after seeing each other struggling to pay their water bills at Murphysboro City Hall, Ryan said.
Lt. Paul Echols, who heads the Carbondale Police Department’s investigations, said dispatchers received a 911 call 10 minutes before the First Southern Bank robbery. The caller identified himself as someone who had been stabbed and was being chased by a gunman. Echols said most of the police officers on duty responded to the call, but “no one was ever found.”
Carbondale detectives noted that the voice on the 911 call sounded similar to Gaddis, Echols said. The call, which was made by cell phone and lured most officers on duty to the opposite side of town from the bank, was traced to where Fike said he and Gaddis met before the robbery, Echols said.
Following the robbery, Echols said he viewed the bank’s security footage and could see part of one suspect’s face.
“The eyes and eyebrows were consistent to those of Jim Gaddis,” Echols testified.
Echols said he became more suspicious when he noticed the weapon used by the suspect, a Glock 22, was the same handgun model police officers carry.
Ryan said Gaddis confessed to using his service weapon in the robbery.
Of the $22,800 stolen from the bank, nearly $4,000 was recovered from Fike’s home, Ryan said. Gaddis had taken the money to a casino, where he exchanged it for unmarked bills, Ryan said.
A hearing to set a trial date is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 11.
_____
Other Information: http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2009/02/01/front_page/27968896.txt
Previous Information: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/01/officer-james-gaddis-neighbor-rob-bank.html
A Carbondale Police officer planned to burglarize the home of former Police Chief Bob Ledbetter and other Carbondale residences on the department’s
House Watch list before he was arrested, a detective testified Friday.
Detective Mike Ryan of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department said Officer James D. Gaddis revealed the plan to him nearly two hours after Gaddis was arrested in connection with the Oct. 9 armed robbery of First Southern Bank on Murphysboro Road in Carbondale.
The testimony came at a preliminary hearing for Gaddis at the Jackson County Courthouse Friday.
Gaddis has not yet entered a plea in response to the charges.
Interim Chief Jeff Grubbs said active officers have access to the list, which includes homes whose occupants will be absent for reasons such as vacations.
Grubbs said additional precautions have been taken to maintain security at homes on the list. None of the homeowners on the list have reported burglaries, he said.
Patrol officers check homes on the list three times a day until residents return, said Officer Randy Mathis, the department’s community resource officer.
Grubbs said he has complete confidence in the officers who still have access to the list, and that Gaddis’ actions should not reflect the entire department.
“Police put a positive spin (on the case) and put one of its own to justice,” he said.
Ledbetter did not return phone messages left Friday and Sunday.
Ryan said Gaddis confessed to planning the robberies because he was concerned for his family’s safety.
Ryan said Gaddis saw his neighbor, Anthony M. Fike, 35, of Murphysboro, sell drugs to an individual with a gun.
Before Gaddis’ preliminary hearing, Fike pleaded not guilty to the charge that he was the second suspect in the bank robbery. Fike turned himself into police Jan. 15 and has been released on bond.
Gaddis remains in Jackson County Jail on $1 million bond.
Ryan said Fike and Gaddis also planned to rob banks in Ziegler and Royalton, Gaddis’ hometown where he graduated high school as valedictorian.
The two men began discussing the robberies after seeing each other struggling to pay their water bills at Murphysboro City Hall, Ryan said.
Lt. Paul Echols, who heads the Carbondale Police Department’s investigations, said dispatchers received a 911 call 10 minutes before the First Southern Bank robbery. The caller identified himself as someone who had been stabbed and was being chased by a gunman. Echols said most of the police officers on duty responded to the call, but “no one was ever found.”
Carbondale detectives noted that the voice on the 911 call sounded similar to Gaddis, Echols said. The call, which was made by cell phone and lured most officers on duty to the opposite side of town from the bank, was traced to where Fike said he and Gaddis met before the robbery, Echols said.
Following the robbery, Echols said he viewed the bank’s security footage and could see part of one suspect’s face.
“The eyes and eyebrows were consistent to those of Jim Gaddis,” Echols testified.
Echols said he became more suspicious when he noticed the weapon used by the suspect, a Glock 22, was the same handgun model police officers carry.
Ryan said Gaddis confessed to using his service weapon in the robbery.
Of the $22,800 stolen from the bank, nearly $4,000 was recovered from Fike’s home, Ryan said. Gaddis had taken the money to a casino, where he exchanged it for unmarked bills, Ryan said.
A hearing to set a trial date is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 11.
_____
Other Information: http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2009/02/01/front_page/27968896.txt
Previous Information: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/01/officer-james-gaddis-neighbor-rob-bank.html
Friday, January 16, 2009
Officer James Gaddis & Neighbor Rob Bank
CARBONDALE, Ill.
A Carbondale police officer has been suspended without pay after prosecutors alleged he and his neighbor were the two men that robbed a bank at gunpoint while wearing motorcycle helmets.
Jackson County prosecutors charged city patrolman James Gaddis, 26, and Anthony Fike, 35, both of Murphysboro, in the Oct. 9 holdup of the First Southern Bank in this southern Illinois city.
Authorities would not discuss a possible motive in the holdup, though Jackson County Circuit Court files show that Flagstar Bank filed mortgage foreclosure proceedings against Gaddis in December.
Investigators say two robbers wearing motorcycle helmets entered the bank and one suspect held an employee at gunpoint while the other snatched cash from the bank's drawers. Investigators say the suspects fled on motorcycle, making off with about $22,000. No one was injured.
Gaddis, a Carbondale patrolman since 2004, was arrested Wednesday and remained jailed Friday on $1 million bond. Fike surrendered to Jackson County deputies Thursday and was freed on $50,000 bond later that day.
It was not immediately clear whether either man has an attorney. Gaddis and Fike do not have listed home telephone numbers.
"If the charge is proven true, Mr. Gaddis not only violated the law but also betrayed his oath of office and the trust which his fellow officers and the citizens of this community placed in him," Mike Wepsiec, the county's state's attorney, told reporters Thursday in announcing the charges.
The prosecutor declined to discuss the evidence but said the investigation made it "abundantly clear a police officer was involved," alleging without elaboration that Gaddis "used some of his tools as a police officer to perpetrate the robbery."
Messages seeking comment were left Friday by The Associated Press with Wepsiec and interim Police Chief Jeff Grubbs, whose offices said they were out of the office for the day.
Preliminary hearings for Gaddis and Fike are scheduled for Jan. 30.
Information: http://www.wrex.com/Global/story.asp?S=9685589
A Carbondale police officer has been suspended without pay after prosecutors alleged he and his neighbor were the two men that robbed a bank at gunpoint while wearing motorcycle helmets.
Jackson County prosecutors charged city patrolman James Gaddis, 26, and Anthony Fike, 35, both of Murphysboro, in the Oct. 9 holdup of the First Southern Bank in this southern Illinois city.
Authorities would not discuss a possible motive in the holdup, though Jackson County Circuit Court files show that Flagstar Bank filed mortgage foreclosure proceedings against Gaddis in December.
Investigators say two robbers wearing motorcycle helmets entered the bank and one suspect held an employee at gunpoint while the other snatched cash from the bank's drawers. Investigators say the suspects fled on motorcycle, making off with about $22,000. No one was injured.
Gaddis, a Carbondale patrolman since 2004, was arrested Wednesday and remained jailed Friday on $1 million bond. Fike surrendered to Jackson County deputies Thursday and was freed on $50,000 bond later that day.
It was not immediately clear whether either man has an attorney. Gaddis and Fike do not have listed home telephone numbers.
"If the charge is proven true, Mr. Gaddis not only violated the law but also betrayed his oath of office and the trust which his fellow officers and the citizens of this community placed in him," Mike Wepsiec, the county's state's attorney, told reporters Thursday in announcing the charges.
The prosecutor declined to discuss the evidence but said the investigation made it "abundantly clear a police officer was involved," alleging without elaboration that Gaddis "used some of his tools as a police officer to perpetrate the robbery."
Messages seeking comment were left Friday by The Associated Press with Wepsiec and interim Police Chief Jeff Grubbs, whose offices said they were out of the office for the day.
Preliminary hearings for Gaddis and Fike are scheduled for Jan. 30.
Information: http://www.wrex.com/Global/story.asp?S=9685589
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Former Officer Teddy Nobles Charged with Robbing Bank
Austin police today have charged a former officer with aggravated robbery after they said he robbed a Northwest Austin bank on Wednesday.
Teddy Nobles, 48, who resigned from the force in 2001, is being held at the Williamson County Jail, Lt. Mark Spangler said. Bail has been set at $250,000.
Spangler said that Nobles walked into a Compass Bank in the 13000 block of Research Boulevard and demanded money from a teller while reaching toward his waist. Nobles fled after receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, Spangler said. Police do not know whether he was armed, and nobody was injured, Spangler said.
Spangler said witnesses provided a description of Nobles and his burgundy Dodge pickup. After a search by ground and air, officers spotted the truck in the apartment complex where they said Nobles was living in the 5200 block of Thunder Creek Road.
He was arrested without incident outside his apartment, Spangler said.
Investigators have since searched Nobles’ apartment and found evidence of the robbery, Spangler said.
“He never made any positive comments about why he was doing what he was doing,” Spangler said. “I think he realized he was caught. I think this was something motivated by the need for money and greed.”
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Bank Teller Who Helped Former Officer Christian Torres to Rob Bank Sentenced to Jail
A bank teller who helped a rookie cop pull off two downtown Manhattan bank heists that netted $118,000 was sentenced Friday to 2-1/2 years in jail.
Christina Dasrath burst into tears as she told Manhattan Federal Judge Laura Taylor Swain that ex-NYPD cop Christian Torres walked into a Sovereign bank branch in June 2007 and gave her a note threatening to "start shooting."
"I was duped by my first love," Dasrath said, as her parents, who had opposed her relationship with Torres, wept. "I am 21 years old....They need me at home."
Dasrath met Torres when they were classmates at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She's been working as an emergency medical technician since her arrest. "Every day I help people," she said. "I try my best to make it up in that manner."
Two former co-workers who were forced into a bank vault and tied up told Swain they're still traumatized.
Isabel Sanchez said Torres repeatedly threatened her, leaving her fearing for her life. She said Dasrath watched as she walked into the vault, her legs trembling uncontrollably. "Everything goes through your mind, everything," Sanchez said.
For five months - until after Torres pulled the second robbery in November 2007 - Dasrath never let on that she knew Torres. "She looked at us in the face like nothing happened," Sanchez said.
Swain said Dasrath should have gone to the authorities after the first robbery, but instead took some of the money. "She continued to cover up and deceive people she had put at risk over several months," Swain said.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Former Police Sergeant Frank Holder Arrested for Bank Robberies
A former Pomona police sergeant has been arrested in connection with a series of bank robberies in Escondido, Glendora and Rancho Cucamonga.
Frank Holder, 61, was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Rancho Cucamonga after he allegedly robbed a bank, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.
Witnesses inside the bank were able to describe the suspect to deputies at the scene, Eimiller said.
San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies then stopped a vehicle nearby with Holder in it. The suspect description matched Holder.
Holder, a Phelan resident, was identified and booked into Central Detention Center in San Bernardino on suspicion of bank robbery, Eimiller said.
FBI investigators dubbed Holder the "Grandpa Bandit."
Holder got his nickname because witnesses would say, "He appeared to be a grandfatherly figure," Eimiller said.
Holder is set to appear at 2p.m. today in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana.
Pomona Police Chief Joe Romero confirmed Thursday that Holder is a former employee.
Holder transferred in 1974 from the Montclair Police Department to the Pomona Police Department.
He was promoted to senior police officer in 1987 and became a sergeant in 1991, Romero said.
Holder retired from duty in 2004 under honorable circumstances.
"He worked a variety of assignments," Romero said.
News of Holder's arrest came as a shock to people who worked with him, Romero said.
"It is totally out of his character," he said.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10864333
http://cbs2.com/local/Grandpa.Bandit.Holder.2.853486.html
Friday, October 10, 2008
Officer Nicole Drane Arrested for Helping a Serial Bank Robber
An East Point police officer has been arrested for allegedly helping a serial bank robber, East Point police said.
East Point police said they arrested one of their own officers, Nicole Drane, on 15 different counts.
Drane is accused of misusing the police department’s computer to let a suspect in 12 bank robberies know if he was wanted.
VIDEO: East Point Officer Accused Of Helping Robber
Authorities said they took Drane into custody Thursday for violating her oath of office, hindering the apprehension of a suspected criminal and bribery.
The charges are related to Drane’s connection to Malik Dillard, a suspect involved in a string of bank robberies along the East Coast, including some in Georgia. Dillard told the FBI he had help from someone on the inside, according to East Point officials.
Dillard told investigators that he would call Drane after some of the robberies to see if authorities were looking for him.
"Well, it doesn't sit very well but I have to look again, maybe they're not paying them enough at East Point so they have to have some extracurricular activity. But no, it doesn't sit well," said East Point resident Michael Freeman.
Authorities said Drane is currently in custody at the Fulton County Jail.
Drane's first court appearance was Friday at 11 a.m. Her bond was set at $450,000.
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