Jonathan LaPorte Sentenced for 2012 Robbery of Mandeville Bank

Jonathan LaPorte, age 27, of Covington, Louisiana, was sentenced today by U. S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 100 months’ imprisonment for the January 13, 2012 robbery of a Citizens Bank and Trust in Mandeville, Louisiana, announced U. S Attorney Dana Boente.

The charge resulted from an investigation by the Mandeville Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation following the January 13, 2012 robbery of the Citizens Bank and Trust branch located in Mandeville. During the robbery, LaPorte brandished a weapon that appeared to be a firearm but was later determined to be a BB gun. While inside the bank, through force and intimidation, LaPorte obtained approximately $12,777 in bank funds. Upon exiting the bank, LaPorte briefly eluded responding police units and caused a high speed chase that resulted in property damage to multiple vehicles. LaPorte was apprehended after crashing his vehicle and suffering minor injuries. The money stolen from the bank was recovered from LaPorte’s vehicle, along with the BB gun.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Fallon sentenced LaPorte to five years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment. During the five-year term, the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should he violate any terms of his supervised release. Judge Fallon also ordered LaPorte to pay restitution to the victims who suffered property damage as a result of LaPorte’s reckless flight from responding police officers.

This prosecution was the result of an investigation conducted by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and officers and detectives of the Mandeville Police Department.

The prosecution has been handled by Supervisory Assistant U. S. Attorney William J. Quinlan, Jr., supervisor of the U. S. Attorney’s Violent Crime Unit.