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Tuesday, 03 October 2006 01:30

Bank Robber Caught In Jackson Looking At Federal Prosecution

Joe Luis Resendez JrIf the Oakdale parolee suspected of robbing six banks including branches in Sonora, San Andreas and Valley Springs — in the past year will face federal or state charges is not yet clear. Joe Luis Resendez Jr., 38, was arrested Thursday at the intersection of Hwy 49 and Clinton Rd, in Jackson after he was seen fleeing from Umpqua Bank in Valley Springs shortly after it was robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash.

Joe's ArrestResendez is also suspected in bank holdups in South Lake Tahoe, Folsom and Lockeford. The first robbery occurred on Sept. 15, 2005, when the World Savings Bank in Sonora was held up by a burly man with a large mustache. The FBI has been looking for the suspect, and even appealed to the public via newspapers and television to help identify the man. The suspect in each case was described as a large Hispanic man with a thick mustache and wearing a baseball cap. "We are confident, after consulting with other agencies, that the Calaveras County Sheriff's Department got the right individual," FBI Special Agent Karen Ernst told the Sonora based Union Democrat. Ernst said jurisdiction over the Resendez case has not yet been determined. Bank robbery is a federal crime and can be prosecuted in federal courts. It can also be prosecuted in state courts. "We're still working things out," Ernst said. In the meantime, Resendez is being held without bail at the Calaveras County Jail on a parole hold. The robberies he is suspected of occurred either before or after June 1 to Aug. 3. At that time Resendez was in state prison serving a sentence for second-degree burglary, according to records from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

 

FBI Special Agent Karen Ernst  Joe Luis Resendez