BY: Walker
Published 2 hours ago
A California man is once again behind bars after he recommitted the same crime for which he already served 26 years.
A federal jury in Los Angeles found Markham David Bond, 61, guilty Thursday of one count of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The recent gunpoint robbery of a Brinks courier took place outside a Chase Bank branch near LAX on Aug. 18, 2023, officials said.
Bond had been released from custody early in 2022 on “compassionate” grounds following a 1995 conviction for bank robbery and other firearms offenses, the DOJ said in a written statement. He was originally sentenced to more than 46 years in prison.
He also had a lengthy criminal history including prior convictions for robbery and conspiracy to possess heroin with intent to distribute.
He remained on supervised release at at the time of the 2023 armored car robbery, according to U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Martine Estrada.
“After being given a second chance in life, this defendant sadly chose a path of violent crime,” he said. “Though our strong partnerships with federal and local law enforcement, we will continue to use our resources to protect our community by holding accountable violent offenders who use guns.”
Bond fled with roughly $145,000 following the Brinks heist, officials said.
“The armored vehicle was parked in the bank parking lot as one of its employees got out of the vehicle with a blue duffle bag on a rolling cart and which contained the cash,” according to the DOJ statement. “Bond approached the driver, pointed a handgun at him, and demanded the money.”
— US Attorney L.A. (@USAO_LosAngeles) December 16, 2024
Bond then ordered the victim to the ground and fled with the cash-stuffed duffel bag, officials said.
Investigators caught up with him on Nov. 22, 2023, at his Inglewood home, where they seized a .40-caliber handgun, a shirt that was worn during the robbery and cash that was hidden inside a mini refrigerator, prosecutors said.
Officials also found the getaway car used in the crime parked near Bond’s home, officials added. Inside the vehicle, they discovered an empty Brinks bag and other evidence linking him to the crime.
A sentencing hearing for Bond was scheduled July 11. He faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
The investigation was spearheaded by the Los Angeles Police Department and the FBI.
via: VC Star
