Austin Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery and Firearms Charges

In Austin, 34-year-old Antonio Cervantez faces federal prison time after pleading guilty to federal charges stemming from a bank robbery in May announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Armando Fernandez, San Antonio Division.

Appearing before United States Magistrate Judge Mark Lane this afternoon, Cervantez pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. By pleading guilty, Cervantez admitted that on the afternoon of May 29, 2013, he robbed the Bank of America located on West Parmer Lane in Austin. A bank customer who witnessed the robbery from the drive-through banking lane called the police and followed Cervantez after he fled the scene. Cervantez drove to his residence in the 4300 block of Northridge, where authorities subsequently arrested him and recovered approximately $30,000 stolen from the bank and a .380 caliber firearm.

Cervantez, who has remained in custody since his arrest on May 29, 2013, faces up to 25 years in federal prison on the bank robbery charge and a mandatory seven-year consecutive prison term for the firearm charge. He will be sentenced at a later date by United States District Judge Sam Sparks.

This case was investigated by the Austin Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force. The task force is made up of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Austin Police Department, and the Round Rock Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Gregg N. Sofer is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.