El Paso Bank Robber Faces Lengthy Federal Prison Term
| U.S. Attorney’s Office October 12, 2011 |
United States Attorney Robert Pitman announced that in El Paso, 26-year-old Jonathan Lee Read faces between seven years and life in federal prison for robbing a Chase Bank in January of this year.
Appearing before United States District Judge Kathleen Cardone, Reed pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery and one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence. By pleading guilty, Read admitted that on January 31, 2011, he walked into the Chase Bank located in the 5000 block of Wren Avenue in El Paso and demanded money from a teller. At the time of the robbery, Read was wearing a Halloween-style mask resembling the movie character “Chucky” and was armed with a small, Winchester .22 caliber rifle.
Read remains in federal custody. Sentencing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on January 4, 2012, before United States District Judge Cardone.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation together with the El Paso Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney J. Brandy Gardes is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.