Bank Robber Sentenced To 15 Years In Federal Prison

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced John Charles Anderson (40, Spring Hill) to 12 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for a bank robbery with an assault by using a deadly weapon. Anderson was also ordered to pay $941 in restitution. Judge Mizelle previously sentenced Anderson to 3 years in prison for a violation of his federal supervised release, to be served consecutively to the new robbery sentence. Anderson had pleaded guilty on July 31, 2023.

According to court documents, on January 14, 2022, Anderson armed himself, donned a mask, and robbed a bank just over one month after being placed on supervised release following a federal prison sentence for committing five bank robberies. On January 14, 2022, Anderson pointed what looked like a semi-automatic handgun toward the teller and demanded money and got away with $941 from the SunTrust bank located at 12902 Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa.  Anderson was identified, in part, by his distinct hand tattoos, which read “KILL COPS” across his knuckles.

Anderson fled the bank, and the state, making his way to Michigan. On January 20, 2022, officers from the River Rouge Police Department encountered Anderson and attempted a traffic stop. Anderson fled, crashing his car into a wall at a gas station before continuing to flee on foot. Officers recovered a loaded firearm, which had been been reported stolen in South Carolina, from the front seat of Anderson’s car. Anderson was taken into custody after hiding in a garage.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Ecorse Police Department, and the River Rouge Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha E. Beckman.