Marina Pulmano Convicted in Yoakum Bank Robbery Heist

Marina Michelle Pulmano, 22, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, walked into the Prosperity Bank in Yoakum, Texas, on Sept. 22, 2016, and handed over a note declaring she was armed and demanding cash. The teller moved fast, piling up money to avoid bloodshed. Pulmano grabbed the stack and vanished into the afternoon — the first act in a double-barreled crime spree that would end in federal lockup.

Just weeks later, on Nov. 3, 2016, the same bank was hit again — same script, different robber. This time, it was Chad Andrew Latham, 26, also of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He passed a nearly identical note claiming he had a gun and demanded money. The teller complied. Latham fled with cash in hand. Surveillance footage from both robberies painted a clear picture — and soon, faces.

Investigators released images to local media. It didn’t take long. Witnesses recognized Pulmano and Latham — who were dating at the time — and tipped off law enforcement. The couple had already fled Texas, returning to Alabama, where they thought they’d vanish. They didn’t. Federal agents and Yoakum Police tracked them down and made the arrests.

Latham cracked first. He pleaded guilty and in August 2017 was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison by a U.S. District Court judge. No deals, no delays — just hard time. Pulmano held out, but the evidence was airtight. Today, Senior U.S. District Judge John Rainey accepted her plea in federal court in Corpus Christi. She’s now awaiting sentencing.

Sentencing is set for May 14, 2018. Pulmano, 22, faces up to 20 years behind bars and a maximum fine of $250,000. The feds aren’t playing. Despite the seriousness of the charges, she was allowed to remain on bond until her sentencing hearing — a small reprieve before the gavel falls.

The FBI and Yoakum Police Department led the investigation, piecing together the timeline, the evidence, and the identities. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is handling prosecution. Another bank job, another pair of lives derailed — this time, federal justice caught up fast.