FBI captures man wanted in Camarillo bank robbery
By Daniel Wolowicz camarillo@theacorn.com

The FBI announced last week the arrest of a man in Oklahoma wanted in connection with a Camarillo bank robbery in early August. Armando Eugene Sanchez, 29, was arrested around 8 a.m. on Oct. 30 at a home in Lawton, Okla., by federal authorities and Lawton police.

The arrest came after FBI agents received a tip that Sanchez was staying with family members in Lawton, about 90 miles south of Oklahoma City, said Laura Eimiller, spokesperson for the FBI in Los Angeles.

On Aug. 7, Sanchez allegedly gave a note demanding money to a teller at Washington Mutual Bank, 2300 Ponderosa Drive, Eimiller said.

A dye pack put in the bag containing the money Sanchez allegedly took from the bank exploded, according to Cmdr. Stephen DeCesari with the Camarillo Police Department.

DeCesari said witnesses gave Camarillo police the license plate number on the car Sanchez reportedly drove from the bank.

The car was traced to an address in Los Angeles, DeCesari said, which led to Sanchez's identification.

DeCesari said witnesses from the bank were able to confirm Sanchez's identity using a photo lineup.

Eimiller said FBI agents knew Sanchez spent time in Oklahoma and notified investigators in Oklahoma City that Sanchez might return there. A tip led to last week's arrest.

FBI suspect Sanchez, a registered sex offender in California, was responsible for two other bank robberies in the San Francisco area.

DeCesari said Sanchez was on parole for armed robbery at the time of the alleged bank robbery.

"Anyone that is willing to rob a bank, those are the type of people we definitely want off the streets and behind bars," DeCesari said.

Sanchez was arrested on one count of federal bank robbery and faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal jail, Eimiller said. Sanchez will be brought back to Los Angeles to appear in court later this month, Eimiller said.

"It should serve as a message to bank robbers who flee the state that we will continue to look for them until we find them," she said.