A Johnson County grand jury has indicted a Forest Hill man and two Fort Worth residents on third-degree felony charges of criminal conspiracy.
Labrandon Marquise Gill, 21, of Fort Worth, Deric Daron Randle, 23, of Forest Hill and Juliana Rangel, 22, of Fort Worth told police the reason one of them entered three different Burleson banks June 29 was robbery.
"We had an initial call of a suspicious person in one of our banks," Police Chief Billy Cordell said. "Typically, you enter a bank with a purpose. These are smaller banks who know their customers."
It remains unclear which of the subjects may have entered the banks, but it was the same person each time, Cordell said.
At the first bank, a man entered wearing a hoodie and fled when bank employees asked to help the man. The interaction set police on the search for a black male in a hoodie.
A man dressed identically appeared at another bank, and again fled.
The third time was not the charm. The man entered a bank fitting the earlier description. Before he could flee again, police had a vehicle description and positive vehicle plate identification, along with information two others were in the vehicle.
"His actions were not consistent with what a customer would do," Cordell said.
It was a hot summer day in the mid to upper 90s, Cordell said, and the man was wearing a hoodie.
"We had asked officers to visit our banks and put them on alert," Cordell said.
The matching vehicle was stopped in southwest Fort Worth. All three subjects had traffic warrants.
"We brought them back to the police department for interviews, where they ended up telling us their intent was to rob a bank," Cordell said in a prior interview.
No bank employees or customers were injured in the three incidents. No weapons were displayed in any of the banks by the subject. No firearms were found in the vehicle.
"We were able to get them in custody, and that allowed us to file a case that the district attorney was able to take to the grand jury," Cordell said. "We're appreciative to everyone who helped in this case."
Each indictment could result in 2-10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000.