Lone Ranger Bandit Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Series of Armed Bank Robberies

In Waco today, a federal judge sentenced 38-year-old Richard Wayne Swicegood (aka “Lone Ranger Bandit”) of Waxahachie, TX, to 40 years in federal prison for committing 13 armed bank robberies in Texas and Arkansas announced Acting United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr. and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs of the FBI’s San Antonio Division.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Walter S. Smith, Jr. ordered that Swicegood pay $119,815.00  restitution to the financial institutions and be placed on supervised release for a period of five years after completing his prison term.

On January 15, 2015, Swicegood pleaded guilty to 13 counts of bank robbery.  By pleading guilty, Swicegood admitted that he committed the following robberies:

• Temple Santa Fe Community Credit Union in Temple, TX, on October 4, 2011; March 30, 2012; and July 12, 2013, stealing a total of approximately $72,330.
• Union State Bank in Round Rock, TX, on January 4, 2012, and June 5, 2014, stealing a total of approximately $10,780.
• First State Bank in Salado, TX, on July 9, 2012, stealing approximately $5,075.
• Extraco Bank in Lampasas, TX, on November 8, 2013, stealing approximately $2,450.
• Select Federal Credit Union in San Antonio, TX, on March 6, 2014, stealing approximately $9,500.
• Citibank in Wichita Falls, TX, on July 21, 2011, stealing approximately $8,640.
• Altra Federal Credit Union in Tyler, TX, on August 31, 2011, stealing approximately $5,290.
• BBVA Compass Bank in Tyler, TX, on May 17, 2012, stealing approximately $2,750.
• Summit Bank in Benton, AR, on June 30, 2011, and July 1, 2014, stealing a total of approximately $16,220.

On July 1, 2014, following the Summit Bank robbery, an Arkansas state trooper near Benton initiated a stop on the purported bank robbery suspect’s vehicle.  Swicegood was arrested after the trooper located a fake firearm and the stolen money inside Swicegood’s vehicle.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with assistance from the Texas Rangers; San Antonio, Temple, Round Rock, Wichita Falls, Tyler, Lampasas, and Salado Police Departments in Texas; Benton (AR) Police Department; and, the Arkansas State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Greg Gloff prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.