Two Plead Guilty to California Bank Robbery Spree

SAN DIEGO—United States Attorney Karen P. Hewitt announced that Michael Daniel Lilly Martin and Melanie Elizabeth DePalmer each pled guilty today in federal court in San Diego to an information charging them with bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).

Martin and DePalmer tendered their guilty pleas before United States District Judge James L. Lorenz.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Casper, who is prosecuting the case, Martin and DePalmer admitted to robbing four banks in the Northern District of California, one in the Central District of California, and five in the Southern District of California. Martin pled guilty to ten counts of bank robbery, and DePalmer pled guilty to eight counts. The banks robbed in the Southern District of California are located in San Diego County as follows: Wells Fargo Bank, 8898 Navajo Road, San Diego, California, on October 2, 2007; Washington Mutual Bank, 348 South Twin Oaks Valley Road, San Marcos, California on October 3, 2007; Union Bank of California, 1512 Main Street, Ramona, California on October 4, 2007; Citibank, 3777 Avocado Boulevard, La Mesa, California on October 5, 2007 and California Bank & Trust Bank, 135 Saxony Road, Encinitas, California on October 29, 2007. More than $37,000 was taken during the robberies committed by Martin and DePalmer in the San Diego area and elsewhere in California. In connection with their guilty pleas, the defendants also agreed to pay restitution and to forfeit a Ford automobile.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled before Judge Lorenz on February 2, 2009 at 8:30 a.m..

DEFENDANTS Case No 08cr0267-L

Michael Daniel Lilly Martin, Age: 28
Melanie Elizabeth DePalmer, Age: 27

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Title 8, United States Code, Section 2113(a) - Bank Robbery
Maximum Penalties: 20 years’ incarceration as to each count; $250,000 fine; a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years; and an order from the court pursuant to Title18, United States Code, Section 3663A that each defendant make mandatory restitution to victims.

AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego Police Department

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