LawFuel – Legal Announcements – R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau Investigation, announced that defendant Raymond Cardona, 52, of Hollywood, FL, pled guilty today to three counts of bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113. Sentencing is scheduled for October 31, 2008, before the Honorable Donald M. Middlebrooks.
According to the criminal indictment, court documents, and statements made in court, within the span of thirteen days in May 2008, Cardona robbed at least three banks in Hollywood, Florida. Cardona became known as the ‘Bandana Bandit’ because he would rob the banks wearing pink, blue, and orange colored bandanas. Cardona would enter the bank, approach a teller, sometimes insinuate he possessed a gun, and instruct the tellers to provide him with cash. Fearing that Cardona would harm them, the tellers complied with his instructions. In total, Cardona stole approximately $4,000. At the time he was arrested, investigators recovered various colored bandanas.
Cardona faces a maximum of 60 years imprisonment. He is currently in the custody of the United States Marshals.
Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hallandale and Hollywood Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey A. Neiman.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/ or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov/.
