Central Coast Man Gets More Than 12 Years for Serial Bank Robbery

SACRAMENTO, CA—United States District Court Judge Morrison C. England, Jr. sentenced Robert Todd Bruce, 51, of Arroyo Grande, today to 12 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for serial bank robbery, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. Bruce was ordered to pay restitution to the banks.

The case was the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rodriguez prosecuted the case.

According to court documents, Bruce was sentenced for three bank robberies. He admitted that he committed additional bank robberies that were prosecuted in various state courts in California. The three robberies charged in federal court are:

■Washington Mutual Bank at 4741 Madison Avenue in Sacramento on December 30, 2008;

■Wells Fargo Bank at 949 Lincoln Way in Auburn on November 22, 2008; and

■Washington Mutual Bank at 1302 State Street in Santa Barbara on November 22, 2008.

The task force dubbed Bruce the “El Camino Real Bandit” because he robbed financial institutions on California’s historic Mission Trail, along California highways.