Arrest Made in North Island Credit Union Robbery

Daphne Hearn, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the San Diego FBI Field Office announces the arrest of Ismael Luna, age 42, of San Diego, California, on Sunday, March 3, 2013. Luna was arrested as a result of the investigation into the robbery of the North Island Credit Union, 1101 Palm Avenue in Imperial Beach, California, on Saturday, March 2, 2013.

According to the federal complaint filed in this matter, on Saturday, March 2, 2013, at approximately 9:45 a.m., the North Island Credit Union at 1101 Palm Avenue in Imperial Beach, California, was robbed by an unknown Hispanic male. The robber was described as wearing a light brown or tan baseball cap with a white Adidas logo, a black windbreaker-type jacket, reading glasses, black hair, approximately 37 years old, and weighing approximately 250 pounds.

At the time of the robbery, the robber approached the victim teller and presented a demand note that was written in Spanish. In summary, the note threatened to cause serious bodily harm to the teller’s family members if the robber was not provided money. The teller provided the robber a sum of money, at which time he fled the bank. Witnesses observed the robber enter a 2012 black Chevrolet vehicle with California license plates. Witnesses provided this information, including the license plate number, to responding law enforcement officers and deputies. San Diego Sheriff’s Deputies and San Diego Police Department Officers determined the registered owner of the vehicle was Ismael Luna of San Diego, California.

On March 2, 2013, following the robbery of the North Island Credit Union, Luna’s vehicle was observed by law enforcement at the same address on record with the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Law enforcement attempted to make contact with Luna at the address, but Luna fled out the back door of the residence. Luna was located and arrested in the vicinity of 800 Briar Way in San Diego, California. Luna resisted arrest and was subsequently booked into the San Diego County Central Jail on local charges.

Additional investigation by the FBI, San Diego Sheriff’s Department, and San Diego Police Department led to the filing of federal bank robbery charges on Monday, March 4, 2013.

On Sunday, March 3, 2013, Luna was booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC), where he will remain pending his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on or about Tuesday, March 5, 2013. This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, San Diego.

An arrest warrant itself is not evidence that the defendant committed the crimes charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.