Corpus Christi Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX—A man accused of robbing a Texas Champion Bank through use of force and intimidation has been convicted of bank robbery, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Nicholas Vernon Tolmie, 52, of Corpus Christi, entered a plea just a short time ago before Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey.

Tolmie was indicted in January 2013. As part of his plea today, Tolmie admitted he robbed the Texas Champion Bank located on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi on July 11, 2012, and again on November 19, 2012. In both robberies, Tolmie presented threatening notes to bank tellers demanding money.

Tolmie was arrested on November 19, 2012, after Corpus Christi Police officers responded to the bank to investigate the robbery. Officers searched the area and found discarded clothes in an abandoned building matching the clothes worn during the robbery.

The investigation revealed that a man had recently fled the building and entered a nearby restaurant. Officers located Tolmie in that restaurant and he was subsequently detained. Tolmie had the cash from the robbery concealed in his boots and admitted it came from the bank robbery. Tolmie was later identified by an eyewitness and fingerprint evidence as having also committed the July 11, 2012 robbery. Tolmie later admitted he committed both bank robberies.

Tolmie has been in custody without a bond since his arrest on November 19, 2012. Judge Rainey has set sentencing for May 20, 2013, at 10:30 a.m., at which time Tolmie faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment as well as a possible $250,000 fine.

This case was jointly investigated by the FBI and the Corpus Christi Police Department (CCPD) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sam Brown, IV.