David Lee Sartin Gets 10 Years for 5 Bank Heists

David Lee Sartin, a 31-year-old San Antonio man, is headed to federal prison for 121 months after a violent summer spree of bank robberies that terrorized branches across the Texas Hill Country and metro San Antonio. The sentence, handed down today by U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez, caps a swift investigation by the FBI and local law enforcement that ended with Sartin’s arrest moments after his last heist.

Sartin admitted to robbing five banks and attempting a sixth between July 21 and August 8, 2016. The targeted institutions included the Comerica Bank in Helotes on July 21; Southwest Research Center Federal Credit Union in San Antonio on July 22; Chase Bank in San Antonio and Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union in Bulverde on July 29; and Amegy Bank of Texas in San Antonio on August 8. He also attempted to rob Generations Federal Credit Union the same day. During each robbery, Sartin wore an olive green/tan suit, a baseball hat, sunglasses, and a disturbing silicone ‘old man’ mask that unnerved tellers and customers alike.

FBI agents moved in fast, apprehending Sartin as he pulled into his residence immediately after the Amegy Bank robbery. Inside his vehicle, agents recovered the full $26,204 stolen that day, along with the handwritten demand note, the disguise, and the clothing worn during the crime. The swift recovery of evidence left no room for doubt — Sartin was the man behind the mask.

The court additionally ordered Sartin to pay $26,204 in restitution and serve five years of supervised release following his prison term. Prosecutors emphasized the psychological toll on bank employees and the risk of escalation during armed robberies, noting that even without gunfire, the crimes left lasting trauma in their wake.

Sartin wasn’t acting entirely alone. His roommate, Jason Lynn Hathorn, was sentenced on January 30, 2017, to 78 months in federal prison for aiding the robberies. While Hathorn didn’t enter the banks, prosecutors proved he helped plan and support the operation, making him complicit in the crime wave.

The case was jointly investigated by the FBI and police departments in San Antonio, Helotes, and Bulverde. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wannarka prosecuted the case for the government, calling it a textbook example of interagency collaboration. ‘Robberies like these shatter community trust,’ she said at sentencing. ‘Justice isn’t just about prison time — it’s about accountability.’