Eastern District of California Blog

Nine Year Sentence For "Fedora Bandit"

"David Griffith Osborne, infamously known by law enforcement as the “Fedora Bandit”, was sentenced today to nine years of prison for three counts of armed robbery" in case no. 2:12-CR-0153-GEB.  KNVN, 7/19/13

"Stretchy Pants Bandit" Makes Initial EDCA Appearance

A man accused of being the bank robber dubbed “the stretchy pants bandit” faces federal charges and was extradited to Fresno on Tuesday for hearings in the U.S. Eastern District Court of California.

Leonard Charles Brown Jr., 26, was arrested by Alameda police Sept. 30 on a robbery warrant issued by Ceres police. Investigators say Brown robbed the Bank of America on Mitchell Road on Sept. 18, wearing women’s clothing that included a wig, an off-the-shoulder blouse and tights, or “stretchy pants.”

Modesto Bee, 10/9/12.  Brown's jail interview at CBS Sacramento TV here.

Bad Hair Bandit Sentenced to 10 Years

An Idaho prison nurse who committed a series of bank robberies while in disguise was sentenced to  10 years in prison Wednesday by a Sacramento federal judge.

48-year-old Cynthia Lynn Van Holland, a transient from Idaho and Washington was convicted in 21 bank robberies in California, Washington, Oregon and Montana, according to court documents.

San Francisco CBS, 9/12/12

"Bad Hair" Bandit Arraigned On 21 Counts Of Bank Robbery

A 48-year-old woman was arraigned in federal court on Friday on 21 counts of bank robbery, including three in the Sacramento region.

Cynthia Lynn Van Holland, 48, a transient from the states of Idaho and Washington, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kendall J. Newman and pleaded not guilt. Her next court date is scheduled for July 25.

According to court documents, Van Holland committed robberies in four states and five federal districts. During the early stages of the investigation, the Seattle Office of the FBI dubbed Van Holland the “Bad Hair Bandit” because she allegedly used a series of unusual wigs and disguises in executing her bank robberies.

CBS Local Sacramento, 7/13/12

Skateboard Bandit Sentenced to 8 Years Prison

A Sacramento man dubbed by law enforcement officers as the "skateboard bandit", was sentenced Monday for a series of bank robberies.

U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb sentenced Jared Sung Yoon Herdt, 30, to eight years in prison, as well as three years of supervised release following his time in prison.

According to court documents, Herdt pleaded guilty to five bank robberies, including one at the Bank of America, 2010 Goldfield Drive, in Rancho Cordova on April 25, 2009. The other four were committed between Jan. 5 and Feb. 24 2009 in Modesto, San Jose and Santa Clara, and in Springfield, Ore.

For purposes of restitution, Herdt also admitted to robbing a Wells Fargo Bank at 9407 Madison Ave. in Orangevale on April 25, 2009, according to a federal Department of Justice news release.

Sac Bee Blog, 1/10/12

"Bad Hair Bandit" Awaits Sacramento Fed Court Appearance

A former nurse at the Kootenai County Jail suspected in a series of bank robberies while wearing a variety of wigs confessed to the crimes after her arrest, according to court documents.

Cynthia Van Holland, 47, accused of being the “Bad Hair Bandit,” remains in custody at the Placer County Jail near Sacramento, Calif., where a federal hold was recently implemented that prohibits her from leaving jail on bond.

Her appearance in U.S. District Court in Sacramento has not yet been set. . . .

According to an affidavit filed in federal court in Sacramento, Van Holland confessed to the 20-robbery, four-state spree and described each incident - including a May 9 robbery in Spokane - in an interview with an FBI agent at the Placer County Jail the day of her arrest.

Spokesman Blog, 10/3/11.

 

Skateboarder Admits Five Bank Robberies

A bank robber who fled the scene from several banks by skateboard pleaded guilty today in federal court in Sacramento to a series of five bank heists.

Sacramento Biz Journal, 8/22/11

Fresno Jury Convicts Serial Bank Robber

A modern-day 'Bonnie and Clyde' will pay their dues for a series of bank robberies across the Central Valley.

A federal jury recently found Michael Minjarez, 40 of Stockton, guilty for his role in five robberies that were executed over a three month period back in 2009, including the robbery of a United Security Bank in Fresno and the Valley First Credit Union in Madera.

Minjarez's wife, Lisa, has pleaded guilty to her role in the Fresno bank heist.

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Bank Robberies Go Federal

The man accused of robbing the U.S. Bank in Colusa and Umpqua Bank in Los Molinos will now face federal charges and possibly three times the number of years behind bars.  Michael B. Taylor, 54, of Chico, was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on two counts of bank robbery.

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Colusa County District Attorney John Poyner said that even if Taylor was convicted in Colusa and Tehama counties, the most time he would get is seven years.  “It’s a big cost savings,” said Poyner. “They can try him for both cases at one time.”

“We’ve been waiting. In my opinion, there was no reason to file charges since he was arrested and in custody in Colusa County,” said Tehama County District Attorney Gregg Cohen, adding he too was pleased the U.S. Attorney’s Office was taking over the case.  “He will be exposed to a greater prison sentence,” Cohen said.

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The indictment is a bit of a surprise since the U.S. Attorney’s Office originally indicated it was not interested in prosecuting the case.

Corning-Observer, 4/14/11