Serial Bank Robber Sentenced
| U.S. Attorney’s Office March 19, 2009 |
NEWPORT NEWS, VA—Hector Javier Caraballo, age 40, of Newport News, Virginia, was sentenced today to 191 years in prison. Caraballo’s sentencing follows his December 12, 2008, conviction by a federal jury in Newport News, Virginia for three counts of bank robbery, two counts of attempted bank robbery, and eight counts of use of a firearm during a violent felony. Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Henry Coke Morgan.
Between November 2006 and February 2008, Caraballo robbed seven banks at gunpoint and attempted to rob three others. The total loss to these institutions exceeded $100,000. On March 4, 2008, the FBI, along with local law enforcement held a press conference in an effort to solicit help from the public in apprehending the serial bank robber. Upon receiving a tip and conducting several weeks of surveillance, the FBI obtained and executed a federal search warrant for Caraballo’s apartment. The search warrant revealed several of the items used in the various bank robberies to include the firearm, disguises, stolen license plates and dye stained currency.
At the sentencing hearing, three bank tellers who were victims of Caraballo’s robberies testified about the fear his actions caused. Caraballo offered no statements before Judge Morgan sentenced him to imprisonment and ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $108,862.48.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Henrico County Division of Police, York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Eric M. Hurt and Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Lee Martin prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.