Man Helped Bank Teller Girlfriend Stage South Bay Bank Robbery

LOS ANGELES, CA — A Long Beach man who helped his girlfriend stage a robbery at the bank where she worked pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal conspiracy charge that could put him behind bars for up to five years.

Chandler Leniu, 22, pleaded guilty in Los Angeles to conspiracy to commit bank theft and was ordered to return for sentencing on Oct. 24.

About $52,890 was stolen from Opus Bank in Torrance on Oct. 2, 2017.

Leniu's girlfriend, Marlene Wickham, 22, also of Long Beach -- who worked as a teller at the bank -- pleaded guilty last year to federal counts of conspiracy and bank theft, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. She is expected to be sentenced on May 16.

Prosecutors said that $32,470 has been recovered and returned to the bank. According to his plea agreement, Leniu will pay restitution of about $20,000.

Leniu admitted that he passed a note to Wickham at her teller station demanding money and then fled with the cash. It was later determined that the teller was actually Leniu's girlfriend.

City News Service