Tampa Bank Robbery At Gunpoint Lands Spring Hill Man In Prison: DOJ

Tampa, FL — U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced John Charles Anderson, 40, of Spring Hill to 12 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for a bank robbery with an assault with a deadly weapon.

Anderson was also ordered to pay $941 in restitution. Mizelle previously sentenced Anderson to three years in prison for a violation of his federal supervised release, to be served consecutively with the new robbery sentence. Anderson pleaded guilty on July 31.

According to court documents, on Jan. 14, 2022, Anderson armed himself with a semi-automatic handgun, donned a mask and walked into the SunTrust bank at 12902 Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa.

Court records said he pointed the handgun toward the teller and demanded money. He made off with $941.

The FBI and Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office identified Anderson, in part, by his distinct hand tattoos, which read “KILL COPS” across his knuckles.

Court records show the robbery took place a little over a month after Anderson was placed on supervised release following prison time for committing five bank robberies.

After robbing the SunTrust bank, the FBI said Anderson made his way to Michigan. On Jan. 20, six days after the robbery, River Rouge police officers in Michigan encountered Anderson and attempted a traffic stop. Court records said Anderson fled and crashed his car into a wall at a gas station. He then tried to flee on foot but was found by police hiding in a garage.

River Rouge police recovered the handgun, which was stolen from South Carolina, in the front seat of Anderson’s car.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Ecorse Police Department and the River Rouge Police Department.