Home Dallas Press Releases 2009 Federal Jury Convicts Scarecrow Bandits on Bank Robbery and Firearm Offenses
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Federal Jury Convicts Scarecrow Bandits on Bank Robbery and Firearm Offenses
Defendants Convicted of Nine Armed Bank Robberies and Attempted Armed Bank Robberies in the Dallas Area From January - June 2008

U.S. Attorney’s Office August 13, 2009
  • Northern District of Texas (214) 659-8600

DALLAS—A federal jury in Dallas has convicted five men, who committed a series of violent “takeover” style bank robberies in the Dallas area between January and June 2008, on various bank robbery and firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas.

The five convicted are: Corey Deyon Duffey, a.k.a. “Keyno,” a.k.a.“Calvin Brown,” 29; Tony R. Hewitt, a.k.a. “PricelessT,” 43; Jarvis Dupree Ross, a.k.a. “Dookie,” a.k.a.“Dapree Dollars,” a.k.a. “Fifty,” 30; Charles Runnels, a.k.a. “Junior,” 43; and Antonyo Reece, a.k.a. “Seven,” 32; were convicted on all but two counts of the superseding indictment that charged multiple counts of conspiracy to commit bank robbery; bank robbery; attempted bank robbery; and using firearms in relation to crimes of violence. Runnels was also convicted of one count of assault of a federal officer. Ross was also convicted on one count of kidnaping. Duffey, Hewitt, and Runnels were each convicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, while Ross was convicted on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sentencing is expected to occur in January 2010, before U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle; all five face multiple, maximum statutory sentences of life in prison.

“The case presented to the jury was large and complex, but represented the cutting edge of criminal apprehension technology and cooperative efforts among various law enforcement agencies, led by the FBI,” said U.S. Attorney Jacks. “We are pleased with the jury’s verdict and look forward to the sentencing of these criminals. We hope that this victory brings closure and security to the bank employees and other victims of this violent, highly organized group of repeat felons,” Jacks continued.

“This investigation and the resulting prosecution rids the community of a group of violent bank robbers who put their personal profit motive ahead of any concerns for the public's well being,” said Robert E. Casey, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Dallas FBI. “This case serves as an excellent example of how cooperation among law enforcement agencies can result in dangerous bank robbers being caught, prosecuted and sentenced to prison for a very long time. The message is clear, if you rob a bank you will be caught and you will go to prison," Casey continued.

The other two defendants charged in the case, Darobie Kentay Stenline, a..k.a. “Fish,” a.k.a.“Dude White,” 31, and Yolanda McDow, a.k.a. “Yo,” 43, each pleaded guilty the week prior to trial to various conspiracy to commit bank robbery, bank robbery and firearms charges. They, too, face a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison and are scheduled to be sentenced on November 5, 2009.

The defendants were known as the Scarecrow Bandits by the FBI because they wore loose, sometimes plaid, shirts and floppy hats during the first several of the 21 robberies they are believed to have committed. During later robberies, however, their outfits changed to mostly black gear and they wore masks, gloves and body armor. At trial, the government presented evidence that the defendants conspired together to commit, committed, or attempted to commit, several armed bank robberies, as listed below:

  • June 2, 2008 Regions Bank
    2245 West Campbell Road, Garland, Texas

  • May 2008 Bank of America
    1431 Spring Valley Road, Richardson, Texas

  • May 2008 Bank of America
    534 Centennial Road, Richardson, Texas

  • May 16, 2008 Bank of America
    4751 South Hulen Road, Fort Worth, Texas

  • April 24, 2008 Bank of America
    7300 North MacArthur Blvd, Irving, Texas

  • March 28, 2008 State Bank of Texas
    517 West Interstate 30, Garland, Texas

  • March 28, 2008 Century Bank
    3015 Frankford Road, Dallas, Texas

  • February 1, 2008 Comerica Bank
    1483 North Hampton Road, Desoto, Texas

  • January 28, 2008 Citibank
    2720 Beltline Road, Garland, Texas

According to evidence presented at trial, each robbery was well-organized and researched, executed with precision and discipline, and involved aggressive use of firearms (including assault rifles) and tasers by the defendants. The defendants routinely terrorized bank employees by pointing handguns within inches of their faces and threatening violence if their orders were not obeyed. In fact, in one robbery, a taser was discharged on a bank employee. They communicated using cell phones and walkie-talkies and generally spent less than two to three minutes inside each bank. Additionally, they always used stolen cars for their getaways

The defendants were arrested in June 2008, after a foiled bank robbery in Garland, Texas. When law enforcement attempted to arrest Hewitt, who along with Duffey were the group’s leaders, he used his vehicle to lead them on a high-speed pursuit, attempting to avoid apprehension by entering a Costco store in Plano, Texas, where he was arrested after law enforcement was compelled to evacuate the store. The same day, when law enforcement attempted to arrest Ross, who was in the same vehicle as Duffey, Duffey dropped Ross off at an apartment complex where he broke into an apartment and kidnaped an innocent victim at gunpoint, in hopes of thwarting apprehension. When law enforcement attempted to arrest Runnels and Reece, not only did they attempt to flee from law enforcement, but Runnels used his vehicle to ram the vehicles of the pursuing law enforcement officers.

U.S. Attorney Jacks praised the excellent investigative efforts of the Dallas, Richardson, Garland, DeSoto, Irving and Plano Police Departments and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Tromblay, John Kull and Jay DeWald.

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