Man who robbed two Broward banks sentenced to more than 5 years in federal prison
.jpg "On Nov. 6, 2018, the FBI released photos of a man who agents say robbed a Fort Lauderdale Bank of America. David Brasher later pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted carjacking. He was sentenced Wednesday to 66 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.")
A Weston man who pleaded guilty in February to robbing two banks was sentenced Wednesday in federal court to more than five years in prison.
David Brasher, 36, who threatened tellers at both banks by saying he had a bomb, fled with more than $21,000. He told investigators he spent the money “on alcohol, pills, girls and paying people he owed money to,” according to court documents.
The first robbery took place on Oct. 30, 2018, at a Wells Fargo Bank in Sunrise. Investigators say Brasher walked into the branch at 11 Weston Rd. in a teal shirt with a shark logo, a blue Titleist hat, gray pants and white golf gloves.
“Brasher approached the victim bank teller and provided a napkin and slid it under the barrier glass,” investigators wrote in the criminal complaint. “ His demands were written on the napkin in black ink: “I Will Blow you up. CASH NOW I HAVE C-4 CONNECTED to Me. You Will All Die IF You give me FAKE INK MONEY Your DeaD.”
He left with $18,613 in cash, investigators say.
That day the FBI released photos of the robber, generating tips that pointed investigators to Brasher, documents show. As investigators built their case by interviewing people close to Brasher, another robbery took place..
This time, it was a Bank of America in Fort Lauderdale. Investigators say a robber walked into the branch at 6100 N. Federal Hwy. on Nov. 6 and handed a teller a note demanding cash and implying he had a bomb. The teller gave him $2,815 — and a GPS tracker.
The tracker and most of the money were later found in the restroom of a Smokey Bones restaurant. The money was returned to the bank.
After dumping the cash, investigators say Brasher went to a nearby parking lot and tried to carjack a woman’s car. She screamed and her husband ran to her and hit Brasher. Brasher ran away. Officers found him in the parking lot of a nearby hotel.
After his arrest, he told investigators that he had written the notes and committed the bank robberies, according to the criminal complaint. In February he pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted carjacking.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas sentenced Brasher to 66 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Brasher also has to pay $18,826 in restitution.
This story was originally published May 8, 2019 at 9:08 PM.
