Federal Jury in Austin Convicts Armed Bank Robber

In Austin today, a federal jury convicted an Austin man for his commission of multiple Austin-area armed bank robberies that occurred in 2018, stated U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, Austin Police Chief Brian Manley and San Marcos Interim Police Chief Bob Klett.

The jury convicted 59-year-old Rodney Glenn Green (aka “Rodney Glen Fayson”) of five counts of bank robbery, five counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

U.S. Attorney Bash said in response to the verdict:  “I am pleased that an Austin jury today returned a verdict of guilty on all counts against a man who committed multiple armed bank robberies in our community.  Our federal prosecutors and agents are working hard to keep our cities safe and to protect our financial system.”

Evidence presented during trial revealed that Green committed the following armed bank robberies:

    January 24, 2018 – Chase Bank in Austin – Green stole approximately $4,000;

    February 8, 2018 – BBVA Compass Bank in Austin – Green stole approximately $3,337;

    February 24, 2018 – BBVA Compass Bank in Austin – Green stole approximately $11,939;

    April 7, 2018 – BB&T Bank in Austin – Green stole approximately $5,495; and

    April 28, 2018 – Bank of America in San Marcos – Green stole approximately $10,841.

Evidence introduced at trial revealed that Green committed all five bank robberies in a similar manner.  He wore gloves, a mask, and a black hooded sweatshirt or jacket, and brandished a small semi-automatic handgun while demanding money from bank tellers.  Approximately a day after the last of the five robberies, federal agents and police officers apprehended Green and searched his hotel room, vehicle, and storage unit pursuant to search warrants.  In addition to finding currency still wrapped in bank straps that Green had in a bag on his person, law enforcement discovered a number of distinctive items in Green’s possession that were visible on surveillance images of the robberies.  The police recovered from the storage unit a black hooded sweatshirt that appeared to match the one worn by the robber during the last four robberies.  They also found a small semi-automatic handgun with Green’s fingerprint on the magazine, as well as two pairs of work gloves that were recognizable from the surveillance images because of brand names and logos printed on the backs of the gloves.  One pair of gloves, recovered from Green’s vehicle, was stained with pink dye, apparently from a dye pack that was among the bills that Green took from one of the robberies.  While reviewing some of the physical evidence, the police subsequently recovered a distinctive home-made mask that appeared to match the mask that the robber wore during the last two robberies.  The mask was located inside of a sleeve of the sweatshirt recovered from Green’s storage unit.

The bank robbery crimes of which Green was convicted carry a maximum sentence of up to twenty years in federal prison.  The brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence crimes of which Green was convicted carry a minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison, with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.  The felon in possession crime of which Green was convicted carries a maximum sentence of up to ten years in federal prison.  Green remains in federal custody.  Sentencing will occur before U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin at a date to be determined by the Court.

The FBI; Central Texas Violent Crimes Task Force; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Austin Police Department and San Marcos Police Department investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Harding, Gabriel Cohen, Alan Buie, and Robert Almonte are prosecuting this case for the government.