U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Western District of Texas

Johnny Sutton, U.S. Attorney

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 1, 2008

LAST DEFENDANT SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR
ROBBING AUSTIN BANK ON HALLOWEEN 2007     

United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that in Austin this morning, 23-year-old Jerry Daniel Cantu was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for his role in an Austin bank robbery on October 31, 2007.

In addition to the prison term, United States District Judge Sam Sparks ordered that Cantu pay $9,208 in restitution and be placed under supervised release for a period of five years after completing his prison term.

On May 9, 2008, Cantu pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. By pleading guilty, Cantu admitted that on the afternoon of October 31, 2007, he, Michael Joshua Compton and Gregory Lee Valle entered the Wachovia Bank located at 6208 McNeil Drive in Austin, armed with shotguns and demanded money from bank employees and customers. They fled the bank on foot to a getaway vehicle nearby driven by John Anthony Rodela taking with them approximately $9,200 in cash as well as personal items from their victims such as purses, wallets and cell phones.

Earlier this year, Valle, Compton and Rodela were sentenced to 166 months, 190 months and 120 months in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in the incident.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives together with investigators from the Austin Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Gerald C. Carruth is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.