Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison

United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy announced that Anthony Pernelle Burgess, also known as the “Well-Dressed Bandit,” was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in San Diego by the Honorable Michael M. Anello to serve 51 months in federal prison in connection with a spree of nine bank robberies spanning from July 15, 2010 until September 23, 2011. Judge Anello also ordered Burgess to pay $48,024 in restitution to the banks.

In his plea agreement, dated February 21, 2012, Burgess admitted he committed nine bank robberies. Records from the case demonstrate that during the commission of most of these robberies, Burgess approached the tellers with his right hand placed inside his jacket to simulate that he had a weapon and demanded money from the tellers. Burgess was identified during the commission of the ninth robbery, when an off-duty police officer observed him flee the scene to a nearby parking garage and get into his black Mercedes. This witness was able to jot down the license plate for that vehicle, which was registered to Burgess, and provided it to law enforcement personnel. Fingerprints found at the scene of two of the robberies matched those of Burgess, and surveillance photographs linked Burgess to the other robberies.

U.S. Attorney Duffy praised the alert off-duty police officer as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its investigation and apprehension of the defendant.

Summary of Charges

Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a), bank robbery-nine counts:

1. July 15, 2010, robbed $4,055 from Wells Fargo Bank located at 3445 Del Mar Heights Road;

2. September 7, 2010, robbed $4,000 from Chase Bank located at 9450 Scranton Road;

3. November 5, 2010, robbed $4,000 from Chase Bank located at 9450 Scranton Road;

4. January 20, 2011, robbed $2122 from Bank of America located at 9460 Scranton Road;

5. February 11, 2011, robbed $8,812 from Point Loma Credit Union located at 10413 Craftsman Way;

6. April 6, 2011, robbed $7,338 from Mission Federal Credit Union located at 953 Lomas Santa Fe Dr.;

7. June 17, 2011, robbed $5,506 from Point Loma Credit Union located at 10413 Craftsman Way;

8. August 2, 2011, robbed $4,191 from Mission Federal Credit Union located at 953 Lomas Santa Fe Dr.;

9. September 23, 2011, robbed $8,000 from Chase Bank located at 9450 Scranton Road.