Salt Lake City Man Charged with Credit Union Robbery in Connection with January Robbery of Transwest Credit Union

SALT LAKE CITY—A felony information filed in federal court Tuesday morning charges Daniel Joseph Carlton, age 66, of Salt Lake City, with credit union robbery in connection with a January 10, 2014 robbery of Transwest Credit Union. The credit union is located at 39 West 2100 South in Salt Lake City.

According to an information filed in Third District Court, Carlton handed a note to a teller at the credit union demanding money. The state charges will be dismissed now that federal charges have been filed. Stephen L. Nelson, a Deputy District Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, will join federal prosecutors in handling the federal case.

The potential maximum penalty for credit union robbery is 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. However, based on two previous convictions for bank robbery, Carlton appears to qualify as a career offender under federal sentencing guidelines and could be subject to an increased term of incarceration. He was on supervised release for two previous bank robberies at the time of the current alleged offense.

“Bank robbery is a federal crime,” U.S. Attorney David B. Barlow said today. “The FBI, through its Safe Streets Task Force, and local law enforcement agencies are aggressively investigating every bank robbery. Anyone who commits a bank robbery is subject to prosecution in federal court and, if convicted, faces significant federal sentences.”

Barlow expressed appreciation for the investigative work being done by the FBI and members of its Safe Street Task Force, local law enforcement agencies, and county attorneys’ offices in investigating and prosecuting bank robberies in Utah.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Mary F. Rook stated, “The FBI is committed to working with our state and local law enforcement partners to actively investigate and apprehend bank robbery suspects throughout the region. The Safe Streets Task Force is a great example of the positive impact we can achieve through coordination and collaboration with other agencies.”

James Pearson Thain

James Pearson Thain is in custody in Wyoming charged with a January 29, 2014 robbery of Bank of the West in Casper, Wyoming. According to the complaint, Thain displayed a handgun. A witness saw Thain and a female driver leave the bank and reported the information to law enforcement. Officers tried to initiate a traffic stop by the vehicle fled the area and was later involved in a crash. Officers found a revolver in the car with two rounds in the cylinder of the weapon. According to the complaint, Thain said the gun was for “cops, heroes, and tellers.”

The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office in Utah believe Thain, who wore a fake moustache, large glasses, and a beanie hat during the Wyoming robbery, may be responsible for 11 robberies in Utah and are coordinating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Wyoming on the Thain case.

Thain, who is 38, has previous bank robbery convictions in Utah.

Dustin Todd Byrd

Dustin Todd Byrd, 36, of Salt Lake City, currently in custody in Ada County, Idaho, after an arrest on heroin trafficking, is suspected in four recent bank robberies in Utah. Federal prosecutors expect to present the case to a grand jury in early March.

David Warren Evens

Sentencing is set for Wednesday at 2 p.m. for David Warren Evans, age 43, of Magna, who pleaded guilty in December to a September 26, 2013 armed robbery of Wells Fargo Bank located at 1255 East Brickyard Road in Salt Lake City. U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell will impose the sentence. In a plea agreement, Evans admitted that he held what appeared to be a black handgun during the robbery that was visible to the teller.

He also admitted that on September 11, 2013, he robbed a Wells Fargo Bank at 4740 South 900 East. He admitted he approached the teller and handed her a note that said, “This is a robbery, don’t make it a murder.”

William and Michelle Parker

William Joseph Parker, age 28, and Michelle Joyce Parker, 28, both of Tooele, are scheduled to be sentenced in April after each pleading guilty to one count of bank robbery.

William Joseph Parker admitted that on January 14, 2013, he robbed the Wells Fargo Bank in Magna. He admitted he walked into the bank with a note in hand that demanded money from both drawers, indicating he had a gun and would use violence.

Michelle Joyce Parker admitted robbing a Wells Fargo Bank in Tooele on March 11, 2013.

In addition to the two robberies included in the plea agreements, the Parkers also were charged with a February 5, 2013 robbery of a Wells Fargo Bank in Murray.

The Parkers were arrested after the March 11, 2013 robbery when an off-duty police officer took note of the car prior to the robbery and saw it fleeing the scene afterwards. He executed a traffic stop and found the defendants, the robbery note, and cash in the car—in addition to the couple’s two young children.

As a part of their plea agreements, the Parkers agreed to pay restitution of $5,032 to Wells Fargo Bank for all charged robberies.

Both face up to 20 years in federal prison when they are sentenced in April.

John Eugene Walker

Sentencing is set for May 13, 2014, for John Eugene Walker, age 53, of South Salt Lake City, who pleaded guilty in December to two bank robberies.

Walker admitted that he committed a May 3, 2013 robbery of U.S. Bank located at 888 East 4500 South in Salt Lake City while dressed as a construction worker and carrying a dark colored messenger style bag. He approached a teller counter and demand money. He put the money in his bag and left the bank.

He also robbed a Zions Bank at 8955 South 700 East in Sandy on May 22, 2013, while dressed in women’s clothing and carrying a light blue purse. He put the money the teller gave him in the purse.

Walker was arrested after bank employees followed him out of the bank and witnessed him getting into a dark green Toyota. The same witness saw a temporary tag on the vehicle. Surveillance photos of the robbery were released to the media, and an employee from a car dealership contacted the Sandy Police after seeing news coverage of the robbery and told police officers she had recently sold a Toyota to an individual who matched the description of the suspect who robbed the Zions Bank.

Walker faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the two bank robbery convictions. Prosecutors believe Walker may qualify for an increased sentence as a career offender under federal sentencing guidelines because of his criminal history.

James Carey

James Carey, age 40, of Midvale, was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison in June after pleading guilty to a February 4, 2013 robbery of Chase Bank located at 1306 Woodland Avenue in Salt Lake City. Carey admitted he entered the bank and presented a note to a teller demanding $20,000 and stating that he had a gun. He brandished what appeared to be a handgun but was actually a BB gun. Carey admitted that the following day, when police tried to apprehend him, he engaged in a high-speed chase. During the high speed chase, Carey threw a duffel bag and money out the car. The chase ended after his tires were spiked and the police had executed a PIT maneuver. Carey refused to comply with officers’ commands and had to be forcibly restrained.

Mark Scott Bolinder

Mark Scott Bolinder, age 44, of Salt Lake City, is serving a 38-month federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to a September 21, 2013 robbery of Chase Bank located at 6275 South Highland Drive in Salt Lake City and a September 23, 2013 robbery of Zions Bank located at 1635 South Redwood Road in Salt Lake City. U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby imposed the sentence in January and ordered Bolinder to pay $2,929 in restitution to the two banks.

The Unified Police Department and FBI investigated the robberies. Video surveillance photos from the robberies were released to the media, and tips were received leading to Bolinder’s arrest.