Anthony Wayne Hall, Aggravated Bank Robbery, California 2024

A 65-year-old Fremont man has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in an armed bank robbery that left a community shaken.

Anthony Wayne Hall, a convicted felon with a history of violent crimes, was sentenced to life imprisonment under the federal “three strikes” law after being found guilty of aggravated bank robbery.

On November 21, 2019, Hall, armed with a realistic-looking replica revolver, robbed the First State Bank in Fremont. He made off with approximately $10,000 in cash after threatening a bank employee and a customer who attempted to enter the bank during the robbery.

The heist quickly turned into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, as Hall fled in a blue Chevrolet Camaro, crashed into a pole, and then abandoned his vehicle for a white Chevrolet Impala. Police pursued Hall, who was eventually forced to flee on foot.

A subsequent search of the crash scene turned up replica firearms, knives, and other items, leading authorities to conclude that Hall was the mastermind behind the robbery. The next day, a trooper spotted Hall at a nearby gas station, where he confessed to being the driver who had fled the night before.

The cash found on Hall’s person included five bills known to have been taken in the First State Bank robbery. Hall, who had relocated to Fremont from Indiana approximately two months prior to the robbery, has a lengthy rap sheet, including convictions for murder, rape, and seven prior armed robberies.

FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel praised the collaboration between law enforcement agencies that led to Hall’s capture. “Anthony Hall’s career of committing violent crimes ended today. A mandatory life sentence means he will no longer be free to rob and menace our community,” Kowel said.

Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp echoed Kowel’s sentiments, saying that Hall is the “poster child for the type of offender who needs to be targeted for prosecution and long-term removal from society.”

This case was investigated by the Fremont Police Department, Saint Joseph Police Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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