On Thursday, July 9, 2015, Brian M. Parnell of Dayton, Ohio was federally indicted on three counts of bank robbery for a series of bank robberies over a two-month period within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Parnell was captured by the Covington Police Department after trying to elude local police following a bank robbery at Fifth Third Bank in Independence, Kentucky on June 18, 2015. The FBI has obtained additional probable cause to federally indict Parnell for the following bank robberies in Kentucky that were committed at the time by a subject referred to as the Sock Hat Bandit.

FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Howard Marshall stated that even in this high-tech age, bank robberies continue to be a cause for concern. In 2014 alone, there were 3,879 bank robberies across the United States, which included 134 acts of violence resulting in 63 injuries and 13 deaths. SAC Marshall expressed appreciation for the collaboration, cooperation, and partnership the FBI shares with local law enforcement partners in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The FBI Covington Resident Agency will continue to coordinate with our regional offices in Indianapolis and Cincinnati to determine if Parnell is responsible for any additional bank robberies in the tri-state area.