Could this woman in black be the Pony Tail Bandit? The Ponytail Bandit always wore a cap during her bank robberies. (This woman is wearing a cap.) The Ponytail Bandit in red is estimated to be in her 20s. (This woman looks to be in her 20's.) The FBI thinks the woman in the red is responsible for at least three bank robberies in Austin, Texas and for similar robberies in Roseville, California, and Lynnwood, Washington. The Ponytail Bandit wears a baseball cap and has shoulder-length blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. (This lady typically wears her hair in a ponytail. The hair is darker, but in the age of hair dye, that could be a disguise.)
The female suspect typically slouches with her arms folded. (This woman is exhibiting similar posture and has her arms folded.) "In each of the robberies, a woman entered the bank, verbally demanded money, and then left the bank on foot," according to the FBI. (This woman is on foot.)
Looks like a possible match. But look what happened the last time the FBI jumped to conclusions in Boston? Well, Federal Judge Nancy Gertner ordered the government to pay a record judgment of $101.7 million because agents withheld evidence that would have kept four men from spending decades in prison for a murder they apparently did not commit. The case involved the 1965 murder of Edward "Teddy" Deegan who was shot in an alley.
The Judge opined that Boston FBI agents knew mob hitman Joseph "The Animal" Barboza lied when he named Joseph Salvati, Peter Limone, Henry Tameleo and Louis Greco as Deegan's killers. Tameleo and Greco died while in prison. Salvati and Limone spent approximately 30 years incarcerated before they were exonerated in 2001. Salvati, Limone and the dependents of the deceased suspects sued the federal government for malicious prosecution.
"What I've been through - I hope it never happens to anyone else," said Limone who is now 73.
Judge Gertner said FBI agents Dennis Condon and H. Paul Rico not only withheld evidence of Barboza's lie, but allegedly told state prosecutors they had confirmed Barboza's story. The government argued that federal authorities had no duty to share information with state prosecutors. Judge Gertner disagreed and awarded $26 million to Limone, $29 million to Salvati, $13 million to Tameleo's estate and $28 million to Greco's estate.
So is this another photo of the Ponytail Bandit? No, but she probably could use the money!
Update 2-14-08: Morgan Michelle Hoke is pictured in the above photo taken in Thailand. She is alleged to be the real Ponytail Bandit. But doesn't the mild mannered teacher look like a closer fit to the FBI photos?
Update 6-19-08: Morgan Michell Hoke had good news recently. The so-called “Ponytail Bandit” had one of the cases against her dismissed in California last month. Morgan Hoke is accused of a string of bank robberies in the Austin area, California and Washington state. A judge in Los Angeles dismissed the case against her there. She is expected to be tried in federal court in Sacramento later this year.
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28 comments:
What a master piece! L.P. you are either a greatest detective or you have a wonderful sense of humor. This will start me off on a wonderful
weekend. Thank you for making me laugh.
Shell
Iron Mike said...
Not so fast Pubmeister. There is a pretty big reward out for the capture of the Pony Tail Bandit. Her chin is very similar as is the neck. Does she have an alibi? If not, we may be in the money.
Iron Mike
The build is so similar it's almost creepy. Did this lady recently die her hair?
I want a part of the reward too...
Bob
Not funny you guys... an innocent woman could get accused of something she did not do. By the way Pubmeister, do you have a handwriting sample and perhaps a finger print or two?
Just asking, I could use a little cash this time of year myself...
Ponytail photo dwarfs the story about the 101.7 million dollars awarded because of the wrongful imprisonment of alleged members of the mob.
Serious story... but out of curiosity how much is the reward on the ponytail bandit? If the hottie in the black used to have blond hair, then I think we may have something.
Bruce
The nose looks the same too! She is cute, but she may also be guilty.
Jim
Could be? But we need to get more of the face in the photo...
All right, who is the model impersonating the Ponytail Bandit?
She looks to wholesome to be "Bonnie," "Thelma" or "Louise."
Harry
Condon and Rico need to know that unfair means never justify the ends. These guys probably did deserve jail time, but not for this murder.
Ralph
cute
These alleged criminals and/or their families are now filthy rich! While imprisonment was unjust, they probably deserved it for something else. Who knows. I don't. But I know they now have a pot load of money.
Tell you what L.P., give me the chick in blacks name and digits and I will interrogater her in great detail. Perhaps over a candelite dinner...
Ryan
HEY THAT DARK HAIRED LADY IS PRETTY CUTE...i L0VE Y0U MOM : )
You caught her, congratulations LegalPubmeister, you are really incredible in your accomplishments!
Some one who identified the dark haired pony tail woman suggested that this woman is also "short of cash."
Unfortunately, that probably describes one half of America.
So is it her? I vote yes! Let's indict her and see what happens.
Gil
Provide more photos, I think the chin is identical. Definitely, need a mug shot.
Even if she is innocent, I would like to be present for the booking and strip search!
Ponytail bandit or no pony tail bandit, I second the idea of bringing her in for dinner followed by close interrogation.
Javier
FBI Update on Ponytail bandit and others:
6/27/2007 From Federal Bureau of Investigation www.fbi.gov
We call her the "Ponytail Bandit." She's a pretty young woman whose shoulder-length blonde ponytail sprouts from the back of her baseball cap in images captured by banks she allegedly robbed in three states in May. In each case she approaches bank tellers, demands money, and then waits, arms crossed, slouching slightly, as tellers comply.
That she doesn't seem to fit the stereotype of a bank robber -- brazen, masked, gun-slinging -- has drawn a lot of interest in her story, whatever it may be. But the bottom line is the woman captured on grainy bank surveillance tapes in Texas, California, and Washington is a bank robber committing a crime.
With her distinguishing moniker, the "Ponytail Bandit" joins the ranks of hundreds of other bank robbers sought or captured by the FBI and local law enforcement agencies. We play a direct or indirect role in all bank robbery investigations and compile detailed statistics on bank and armored car heists, which last year amounted to more than $72 million in stolen loot.
Here's a look at a few creative ways we're working with local authorities and banks to catch robbers or prevent heists before they happen:
* In Baltimore, Special Agent Jeff Cisar worked with public and private entities last year to create a website specifically to spotlight suspected bank robbers in the Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia regions. The site, bankbandits.org, is seeded with a catalog of surveillance images from area bank robberies and offers a way to provide tips online.
* In Los Angeles, Special Agent Stephen May took a page from Agent Cisar's playbook and, through partnerships with other agencies, created labankrobbers.org, which covers seven counties in Southern California. The site, like Baltimore's, features dozens of still surveillance images, as well as a category of "serial bandits" distinguished by colorful monikers assigned by Agent May -- "Bad Rug Bandit," "Banana Bandit," "Paparazzi Bandit."
* In Seattle, Special Agent Larry Carr is the man behind some of the most unique names assigned to bank robbers -- "Attila the Bun," "Groundhog Day Bandit," Hollywood Bandit."
Lived a lot together, finally together in the banking business, Reach for the Stars!
I think the pony tail bandit would be an idiot not to have cut her hair and dyed it a different color.
I also think she likely ditched the hat!
You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people sometime, but sooner or later you get BUSTED!
Update 2-13-08. The Pony tail bandit has allegedly been arrested in Thailand! Ms. Calabaza provided us with the following scoop: Austin police say the “ponytail bandit” suspected in a series of bank robberies has been arrested. She is identified as Morgan Michelle Hoke, age 21. Aparently Morgan is in the custody of Royal Thai Police in Thailand. Her husband, 26-year-old Stuart Michael Romine, is apparently being sought as an accomplice. The two have been living in Thailand, according to Austin police Sgt. Art Arevalo. According to FOX News, four days after the first robbery, the two married in Las Vegas. Keep in mind, all suspects are innocent until proven guilty!
Update 2-14-08: Morgan Michelle Hoak is pictured in the above photo taken in Thailand. She is alleged to be the real Ponytail Bandit. But doesn't the mild mannered teacher look like a closer fit to the FBI photos?
Maybe Michelle did not do all of the robberies. She looks more innocent than the school teacher!
I pick the school teacher over Michelle Hoke as the real Pony Tail bandit!
Update 6-19-08: Morgan Michell Hoke had good news recently.
The so-called “Ponytail Bandit” had one of the cases against her dismissed in California last month. Morgan Hoke is accused of a string of bank robberies in the Austin area, California and Washington state. A judge in Los Angeles dismissed the case against her there. She is expected to be tried in federal court in Sacramento later this year.
Lived a lot together, finally together in the banking business, Reach for the Stars!
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