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Press Release

Escapee Sentenced to Federal Prison for Austin Bank Robberies

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas

In Austin this morning, 38-year-old Brian Anthony Whitford was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison for robbing two Austin banks last year after escaping from a half-way house announced United States Attorney Richard Durbin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, and United States Marshal Robert Almonte.

In addition to the prison term, United States District Judge Sam Sparks ordered that Whitford pay $3,703.00 restitution to Compass Bank and be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.

In December 2015, Whitford pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery.  By pleading guilty, Whitford admitted that on April 13, 2015, he escaped from a halfway house in Del Valle, TX, where he was completing his federal sentence for robbing two Austin banks in April 2010.   On the same day of his escape, Whitford attempted to rob a Wells Fargo Bank branch located on Guadalupe Street and then successfully robbed a Compass Bank branch located on South Congress Avenue.  

Authorities arrested Whitford on April 15, 2016, in San Antonio. 

This joint investigation was conducted by the FBI and the United States Marshals Service with assistance from the Austin and San Antonio Police Departments.  Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Hoff and Gregg Sofer prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government. 

Updated April 1, 2016

Topic
Violent Crime