Salinas Resident Pleads Guilty To Bank Robbery

SAN JOSE– Nathan James Garcia, aka “Bones,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce and armed bank robbery in connection with the 2012 robbery of a Salinas, Calif., bank, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett.  The guilty plea was accepted this morning by the Honorable Lucy H. Koh, United States District Judge.  

According to his guilty plea, on May 19, 2012, Garcia, 26, of Salinas, committed an armed bank robbery.  During the robbery, a firearm was brandished and over $13,000 in cash was stolen.  In the days leading up to the bank robbery and in preparation for robbing it, Garcia rehearsed the robbery and cased the bank.  

On May 11, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Garcia, charging him with one count each of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce, in violation of 18, U.S.C. § 1951(a); conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2113(a) and (d), and 371; robbery affecting interstate commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951(a) and 2; and armed bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2113(a) and (d), and 2.  Pursuant to today’s plea agreement, Garcia pleaded guilty to the conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce and the armed bank robbery counts.  The remaining counts will be dismissed.

Garcia faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 for the conspiracy count and a maximum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 for the armed bank robbery count.  Further, additional terms of supervised release, penalties, and restitution may be ordered.  However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.  Garcia has been in federal custody since his arrest in May of 2017.  Judge Koh has scheduled Garcia’s sentencing hearing for May 2, 2018.   

Assistant U.S. Attorney Claudia A. Quiroz is prosecuting this case with assistance from Jessica Meegan and Lance Libatique.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.