Orlando Man Sentenced to More Than 13 Years for Robbing Credit Union
In a shocking display of violence, Joseph Cotto-Diaz, 31, of Orlando, aided and abetted in a heinous credit union robbery that left employees shaken. On the morning of January 25, 2012, Cotto-Diaz and three co-conspirators, including Raulier Rivas Lopez, robbed the American Eagle Credit Union located at 7007 SeaWorld Drive, in Orlando.
According to testimony and court documents, Cotto-Diaz, Lopez, and another co-conspirator, all wearing masks, entered the credit union and demanded money from the employees. Lopez pointed an AK-47-style rifle at the employees as Cotto-Diaz pepper-sprayed them. Approximately $7,000 was taken during the robbery.
After fleeing the credit union in a stolen van, the men drove to a nearby hotel parking lot and abandoned the vehicle. They then ran through a pre-cut hole in a chain-link fence, and met another co-conspirator who was waiting in a getaway car.
Cotto-Diaz pleaded guilty on October 1, 2014, and was sentenced on January 17, 2014 to 13 years and 5 months in federal prison for aiding and abetting a credit union robbery with assault, and aiding and abetting the use and carrying of a firearm during that robbery. As part of his sentence, Cotto-Diaz was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.
Cotto-Diaz’s co-conspirator, Raulier Rivas Lopez, pleaded guilty on June 10, 2014, and was sentenced on September 11, 2014, to 14 years in federal prison for his role in the robbery.
The American Eagle Credit Union was robbed of approximately $7,000, leaving a trail of destruction and fear in its wake.
Defendant: Joseph Cotto-Diaz
Criminal Charges: Aiding and abetting a credit union robbery with assault, and aiding and abetting the use and carrying of a firearm during that robbery
City and State: Orlando, Florida
Exact Date: January 25, 2012 (crime date), October 1, 2014 (guilty plea), January 17, 2014 (sentencing)
Sentence or Outcome: 13 years and 5 months in federal prison, restitution to victims
Dollar Amounts: $7,000
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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