Related Federal Cases
- Frank Hamilton Sentenced to 5.5 Years for SBA Scam, California, 2023 · Alabama
- First National Bank of Lindsay, Bank Failure, Oklahoma, 2023 · Washington
- FDIC, Bank Collapse, Safeguarded Deposits, Santa Clara CA, 2023 · Washington
- FDIC, Bank Closure Safeguards, Washington DC, 2024 · Pennsylvania
- McKenzie Marie Earley, $10M Wire Fraud, C.D. California, 2023 · Pennsylvania
Defendant Gets 20 Years for Bank Heists
LOS ANGELES – Alceu Johnny Andreis, a 48-year-old Banning man, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for participating in a series of bank heists that targeted Southland banks.
According to court documents, Andreis led a group of burglars that conducted a 10-year-long series of heists targeting banks by cutting through rooftops.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Andreis and his crew burglarized banks after detailed and thorough planning, which included ‘casing’ the banks, learning about the bank’s security systems, and conducting numerous ‘dry runs’ of the heists.
During the burglaries, the crew cut holes in the roofs of the banks and resealed them so as not to arouse suspicion. They then wiped down their equipment to ensure no DNA or fingerprints were left behind, communicated via walkie-talkies, disabled the banks’ security systems, re-opened the pre-cut rooftop holes, jackhammered holes into the banks’ thick concrete vaults and rappelled down into the vaults.
Once they had access to the vaults, the burglars opened dozens of safe deposit boxes to steal cash, jewelry, coins and other valuables inside, and they took the cash inside the vaults.
Andreis was sentenced to the statutory maximum sentence of 10 years for each of the burglaries. In addition to the prison term, he was ordered to pay $12,082,403 in restitution to the two financial institutions, their insurance carriers and numerous safe deposit box customers.
This is not the first time Andreis has been involved in a high-profile case. In 2014, he was sentenced to 51 months in prison for conspiracy and attempted burglary in a separate case involving the attempted burglary of a Citibank branch in Diamond Bar.
Andreis and his co-defendants were arrested while attempting to burglarize the Citibank branch. The 20-year sentence issued yesterday will run consecutive to the 51-month sentence.
Andreis and his crew were investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which received substantial assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case against Andreis and his crew was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joanna M. Curtis of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Christen A. Sproule of the Asset Forfeiture Section.
The court also issued an order that forfeited from Andreis two Mercedes-Benz automobiles and four Ducati motorcycles that he had purchased with cash obtained during the two burglaries.
Andreis is one of four defendants convicted in relation to the bank burglaries. The other three defendants pleaded guilty, and two have been sentenced, receiving prison terms of up to 10 years.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
