A Hartsville man has been sentenced to 6 years in federal prison after attempting to rob a bank using a taxicab.
Angel Luis Masdeu, 59, pleaded guilty to attempted bank robbery and was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison, followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.
The crime took place on February 25, 2021, when Masdeu directed a taxi driver to enter the drive-thru line of a bank in Hartsville and place an envelope containing a note demanding all money from all drawers and threatening to kill and/or blow up the bank.
The bank teller received the envelope and activated the alarm, prompting officers with the Hartsville Police Department to arrive on the scene and detain Masdeu.
During the investigation, officers searched the taxicab and located several envelopes matching the one used to send the note, as well as part of a torn paper matching the tear on the note.
Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Hartsville Police Department.
The case was part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an evidence-based program aimed at reducing violent crime.
Masdeu’s sentence is a significant blow to those involved in violent crime in South Carolina, and serves as a reminder of the consequences of such actions.
Related Federal Cases
- Jeremy Lamar Hayes, Armed Bank Robbery, South Carolina 2023 · Michigan
- John Henry Stack, Bank Robbery, South Carolina 2023 · Arkansas
- Iric Bolden, Armed Robbery, South Carolina 2024 · South Carolina
- Elijah N Fitts, Violent Robbery Scheme, South Carolina 2024 · South Carolina
- Iric Bolden, Armed Robbery, South Carolina 2019 · Arkansas
Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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