A man suspected of robbing a Nestor bank and two others as part of the “Bearded Bandit” spree will face a federal judge Jan. 20 to set a trial date.
Christopher Andrew Gibson, 26, has been charged with robbing the Wells Fargo Bank branch located at 685 Saturn Boulevard just about two hours after he was released from an Otay Mesa jail on Oct. 7, 2014.
Gibson had been in the George Bailey Detention Facility until his release around 7:51 a.m. for an unrelated offense. The bank was robbed of $1,419 at 9:31 a.m. the same day, according to court records.
Before his release, Gibson was given a shirt with blood stains on the right collar which is what he wore when he was arrested by deputies on July 28. Bank surveillance photos show the same blood-stained shirt on the bearded robber.
“I know you’re in training and I know you know I have a gun. You have 20 seconds to give me all your money,” according to a demand note given to the teller. The robber took the demand note and cash before leaving.
Gibson is also charged with robbing a Chase Bank branch in Vista out of $2,240 on Oct. 15. He is also accused of robbing another Chase Bank branch in Vista on Nov. 6 and stealing $4,000.
The FBI released bank photos of the Bearded Bandit on Nov. 6, and later that day an anonymous tip via the Crime Stoppers website identified Gibson as the robber. The tipster said Gibson was released from jail on the morning of the first robbery.
U.S. District Court Judge Karen Crawford ordered that he be detained without bail in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego. Gibson has pleaded not guilty to a federal indictment of three bank robberies.
