Getaway Driver in Takeover-Style Bank Robbery Pleads Guilty |
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U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Texas
August 30, 2013
LUBBOCK, TX—The getaway driver in the May 1, 2013 armed robbery of a Lubbock National Bank branch appeared in federal court today before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings and pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated bank robbery and aiding and abetting as charged in a superseding indictment. Gabriel Tenorio, 30, of Lubbock, has been in custody since his arrest in early June 2013 on a related federal criminal complaint. Today’s announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
Tenorio’s co-defendant, Russell Eugene Heath,44, also of Lubbock, was arrested two weeks ago in Calexico, California. He is charged in a superseding indictment with multiple counts of aggravated bank robbery and firearms violations related to two bank robberies in Lubbock and one in Amarillo, Texas, in May 2013. A date has not yet been set for him to make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Lubbock.
According to the factual resume filed today, on May 1, 2013, Tenorio and Heath planned and executed the robbery of the Lubbock National Bank located at 4420 19th Street in Lubbock. At approximately 12:45 p.m., Heath, wearing a mask and gloves and carrying what appeared to be a Glock firearm, entered the bank, pointed the firearm at the tellers, and began yelling at them to give him money. He jumped over a counter, opened a teller drawer, and began stuffing money in his pockets. He then ran from the bank to a waiting vehicle driven by Tenorio. Tenorio and Heath split the proceeds of the robbery.
Tenorio faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in federal prison. Judge Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report with a sentencing date to be set following the completion of that report.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, the Lubbock Police Department, the Amarillo Police Department, and the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Williams is in charge of the prosecution.