R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael S. Clemmens, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office, announced the arrests and the filing of separate criminal complaints against defendants Christopher Caldwell and Grisselle Morales for bank robbery.
According to the criminal complaint filed in federal court today against Caldwell, on August 22, 2005, Caldwell entered the Washington Mutual Bank branch located at 1300 West Lantana Road, in Lantana, Florida. Caldwell carried a firearm and approached a teller to demand the “money boxes,” referring to the “TCD” boxes used by the bank in the automated teller cash dispensers. The tellers gave him the TCD boxes containing approximately $104,817.00. Caldwell placed the boxes in a black duffle bag and fled.
According to the complaint, Lantana Police officers observed Caldwell leaving the bank and arrested him a short distance from the bank. The black duffle bag, the money and a gun were recovered from the backyard of a nearby residence. The complaint against Caldwell alleges that Caldwell participated in another robbery at the same bank on June 24, 2004, in which Morales acted as the getaway driver.
Morales is charged in a separate complaint for her participation in the June 24, 2004 robbery, which resulted in the removal of TCD boxes containing approximately $187,505.00. According to the Morales complaint, Caldwell fled the bank after the robbery and entered a waiting vehicle driven by Morales. The two eluded capture at the time.
Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lantana Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kerry S. Baron.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on .
