Former Dallas Firefighter Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Robbing a Chase Bank in Dallas in April 2012

DALLAS—Jesus Ventura, 37, of Irving, Texas, was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to 46 months in federal prison following his guilty plea in September 2012 to one count of bank robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

According to the factual resume filed in the case, on April 10, 2012, Ventura robbed the Chase Bank branch located at 1881 Sylvan Avenue in Dallas.

The affidavit filed with the criminal complaint states that when Ventura entered the bank, he asked an employee if he could use the restroom. The employee provided Ventura with the door code and informed him that the restroom was located in the office building’s lobby. Ventura left the bank lobby but soon returned and was greeted by a teller offering her assistance. Ventura replied in a low-toned voice, “I am sorry to do this to you, I really am. Give me all the money.”

The affidavit further states that the teller, who had only been employed at the bank for two weeks, stared at the robber, and he repeated several more times for her to give him the money. She stood at the counter, and Ventura’s voice became more aggressive when he said, “Give me all the money” and raised his black backpack as he continued demanding money. The teller feared that he had a weapon in the backpack. She gave Ventura the money, and he took a $20 bill from the money and slid it underneath the glass to the teller and stated, “Here is a tip for you.”

Officers with the Dallas Police Department (DPD) arrested Ventura a short time after the robbery. Officers recovered no weapon but recovered the black backpack and the money stolen from Chase Bank.

The FBI and the DPD investigated; Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Robinson was in charge of the prosecution.