Couple Had Premature Infant in Back Seat of Their Getaway Car

DALLAS—Waylon McDonald, 32, of Dallas, who pleaded guilty in May 2010, to an indictment charging conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery, was sentenced late yesterday by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to 262 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. McDonald must serve the nearly 22-year sentence without parole. His extensive criminal record played a large role in the sentence that he received. Co-defendant Inequa Rushing, 24, also of Dallas, pleaded guilty in April 2010, to the same offenses and was sentenced in August 2010 to 46 months in prison.

According to documents filed, on January 19, 2010, McDonald and Rushing conspired to rob the Comerica Bank, located at 5201 East R.L. Thornton Freeway in Dallas, and robbed the bank that day. Specifically, at approximately 1:50 p.m., Rushing, donning a wig and sunglasses as a disguise, entered the bank and placed her purse and a handwritten note on the counter. Just a few minutes prior to Rushing entering the bank and robbing it, McDonald had walked to the bank’s entrance to “case” it. Rushing’s note stated, “I HAVE A GUN GIVE ME THE MONEY - NO ONE WILL GET HURT.. ‘HURRY’ Bitch!!” The bank teller realized she was being robbed, feared for her life and gave Rushing currency containing a dye pack. Rushing put the money in her purse, exited the bank, and got into the front passenger’s seat of a getaway car that was parked in the bank parking lot. Rushing’s infant son were in the backseat of the getaway car.

As McDonald attempted to drive away from the bank, the dye pack exploded inside Rushing’s purse, spewing red dye and smoke. McDonald grabbed the purse and threw it out of the car window. Police responding to the robbery quickly discovered Rushing’s brown purse and could see the red dye-stained money and assorted identification and personal papers for Inequa Rushing. The police then went to Rushing’s home in Dallas, where they found her and McDonald. Rushing told officers that she had robbed the bank and that McDonald had driven her to and from the bank. A search of the residence revealed the wig, clothing and red dye-stained shoes that Rushing had worn during the robbery. According to the evidence presented in court, the red dye-pack exploded in the getaway car, spraying noxious fumes and dye. Rushing’s four-month-old baby, who was on oxygen because of premature birth, was in the back seat of the getaway car at the time.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Dallas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Tromblay was in charge of the prosecution.