A California man was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday for allegedly taking three people hostage during a bank robbery last month, the Department of Justice announced.
Eric Walter Gray, 53, is charged with bank robbery and forced labor after he allegedly robbed a BMO Bank branch in Anaheim, California on May 8. The incident occurred one day after Gray was released from state custody at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center.
According to a criminal complaint affidavit filed in the case, Gray allegedly loitered around the bank for an “extended period of time,” jumped over the teller counter, claimed he had a gun and demanded money.
He took an undisclosed amount of money from the teller’s drawer and put it in his own pocket, according to the Justice Department.
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Eric Gray, 53, was indicted by a federal jury on Wednesday in connection with the May 8 robbery of a BMO Bank in Anaheim, California. Gray is accused of holding three bank employees hostage during the robbery. (Anaheim Police Department)
After receiving the money, Gray allegedly summoned the bank manager and two employees to a storage room inside the bank, where the two employees were eventually able to leave, but the bank manager was held hostage for about an hour, according to the Justice Department.
At least one bank employee contacted police during the robbery, and Gray was arrested without incident after emerging from the vault with the branch manager, Anaheim police said at the time.
“This defendant appears to have resumed his crime spree after being released from prison, taking three victims hostage during a bank robbery the day after he was released from prison,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “My office will continue to work to prosecute and punish violent, repeat offenders who pose a danger to our communities.”
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Gray allegedly loitered outside a BMO Bank branch in Anaheim, California for an “extended period of time” before robbing the branch on May 8. (Google Earth)
Gray was taken to a hospital for examination, where he allegedly attempted to flee multiple times. According to the Department of Justice, Gray is also accused of engaging in an altercation with police officers at the hospital, inflicting multiple injuries on the officers involved.
Law enforcement also found cash and drugs “concealed within Gray’s person,” court documents allege, the Justice Department said in a news release.
“The victim in this case faced fear and death threats while held hostage by the defendant but was rescued thanks to the courage of a bank employee who called police,” said Acting Deputy Director Christy Hawkins of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
Hawkins also said Gray would be “held accountable for his violent acts.”
Gray was arrested without incident after emerging from BMO Bank with the bank manager he was allegedly holding hostage in the warehouse. (FOX 11 LA)
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The Orange County District Attorney’s Office charged Gray in connection with the bank robbery but dropped the charges to allow the federal trial to proceed.
Gray, who is being held without bail, is scheduled to be arraigned in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana on June 24. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.
