San Diego Bank Robber Gets 3 Years, 10 Months

SAN DIEGO – Alvin Lee Neal, 56, walked into a Wells Fargo on 610 First Avenue last May, not to deposit, but to demand cash. Today, U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia handed down a 46-month sentence for that brazen act, plus an order to repay the $565 he stole.

According to court documents, Neal initially used his own Wells Fargo debit card at the teller window on May 13, 2016. His customer profile popped up on the teller’s screen, a detail that would later prove crucial. Then, the charade ended. “You’re being robbed. Don’t make a mistake,” Neal allegedly told the teller, simultaneously sliding over a crudely written note: “You’re being robbed no mistake [sic].” He reinforced the threat, adding, “You don’t want anyone to get hurt, don’t make a mistake.”

The take was modest – $565 – but the crime is anything but. Neal then fled the scene, believing he’d gotten away with it. He hadn’t. Investigators from the FBI and the San Diego Police Department quickly honed in on Neal, using the information from his own bank profile to establish surveillance at his residence.

The combined forces soon had their man. The arrest brought an end to the investigation, and Neal eventually entered a plea agreement. He was convicted of Bank Robbery, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a), a charge carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Blanca Quintero prosecuted the case. While the sentence is far short of the maximum, it sends a clear message: robbing banks, even for a few hundred bucks, comes with serious consequences. The judge’s order for $565 in restitution ensures Wells Fargo isn’t left footing the bill for Neal’s crime.

Case Number 16CR1188-AJB. Neal will now have nearly four years to contemplate his choices, and Wells Fargo will likely review its security protocols. The Grimy Times will continue to follow federal crime in Southern California.

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