‘Seasoned Bandit’ admits to four bank robberies, signs plea deal

surveillance photo of suspected PT Cruiser Bandit. courtesy photo of LASD
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The “Seasoned Bandit” signed a plea deal with prosecutors admitting he robbed four banks, according to federal prosecutors Monday.

James Allen Hayes, who won the lottery back in 1998 — a cash prize of $19 million — signed a plea agreement Feb. 23. The document was filed with the U.S. District Court on Monday, Thom Mrozek, US Attorney’s Office spokesman said Thursday.

Prosecutors initially accused Hayes of driving a gold-colored PT Cruiser to 11 different banks between Pacific Palisades and Santa Maria is scheduled to be sentenced March 15.  The FBI dubbed him the “Seasoned Bandit.”

A copy of the plea agreement obtained by The Signal shows prosecutors put the total amount of money stolen by Hayes to be $39,424.

Hayes admitted in the deal that he robbed four banks: the Union Bank in Carpinteria on May, 24, 2017; the Wells Fargo Bank on Lyons Avenue, in Newhall, on June 12, 2017; The Logix Federal Credit Union on McBean Parkway, in Valencia,on July 25, 2017; and the Coast Hills Credit Union in Santa Maria, on Sept. 6, 2017.

He also admitted purchasing his gold-colored PT Cruiser with money stolen from the Union Bank on the day he robbed it.

Under the terms of the agreement, Hayes will forfeit the gold-colored PT Cruiser to authorities to offset restitution in paying back banks that were robbed.

Hayes, according to the agreement, understands that the maximum sentence he faces is 20 years for each bank robbery, amounting to a total of 80 years in prison. The judge presiding on the Hayes case, however, is expected to consider several factors on sentencing such prior convictions, if any, and the fact that Hayes spares the court time and expense by pleading early on in his trial.

Hayes also admits in the deal that he understands he has to “pay full restitution” to the victims of the offenses — the banks.

Hayes is alleged to have robbed five SCV banks, as well as banks along the coast including: Carpinteria, Goleta, Santa Maria and Pacific Palisades, according to the 12-page Grand Jury indictment filed against him.

Among the financial institutions  “Seasoned Bandit” is alleged to have robbed the following:

– Monday June 12: Shortly before 3 p.m., a lone male walked into the bank branch of Wells Fargo near the intersection of Lyons Avenue and Wiley Canyon Road. He gave a note to a teller demanding money and indicating he had a gun, although no gun was seen.

– Tuesday June 27: A couple of minutes before 5 p.m., a lone male walked into the Chase Bank branch on Lyons Avenue at Apple Street. He gave a note to a teller demanding money and indicating he had a gun, although no gun was seen.

– Tuesday July 25: About 5:15 p.m., a lone male entered the Logix Valencia Promenade bank branch on McBean Parkway near Magic Mountain Parkway. He gave a note to a teller demanding money and indicating he had a gun, although no gun was seen.

– Thursday Aug. 10: A couple of minutes after 5 p.m., a lone male walked into the California Credit Union on Magic Mountain Parkway. He gave a note to a teller demanding money and indicating he had a gun, although no gun was seen.

– Monday Aug. 21: About 6 p.m., a long male walked calmly into the Wescom Credit Union on Pico Canyon Road at The Old Road in Stevenson Ranch. He gave a note to a teller demanding money and indicating he had a gun, although no gun was seen.

– Monday Sept. 25: shortly after 4 p.m., a lone man described as in his 60s entered the same Wells Fargo branch he hit on June 1,  demanded money and calmly walked out of the bank when he was given no money, got into a PT Cruiser and left.

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