A Florida man with a history of bank robberies is facing up to 40 years in federal prison after investigators accused him of disguising himself as an elderly gentleman to rob two banks in the Tampa Bay area.
David Sartin Jr., 40, of St. Petersburg, allegedly wore a realistic prosthetic mask featuring gray facial hair, along with glasses and a flat cap, to conceal his identity while carrying out the robberies.
Federal prosecutors announced Friday, October 16, that Sartin had been charged with two counts of bank robbery in connection with incidents in Largo and St. Petersburg.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the first robbery occurred August 24 at a bank in Largo, followed by a second robbery September 15 in St. Petersburg.
Investigators said Sartin entered both banks disguised as an older man, approached the teller counter and demanded cash. He also allegedly instructed employees not to include dye packs, which banks sometimes use to help identify stolen money.
The unusual disguise was only one part of what authorities described as a carefully planned operation.
Before the first robbery, Sartin allegedly drove to a nearby gas station, traveled through the surrounding neighborhood and parked his vehicle before switching to a bicycle.
Investigators believe he rode the bicycle to the bank, carried out the robbery and escaped on two wheels before returning to his waiting vehicle and driving away.
Surveillance cameras later captured the vehicle traveling toward his residence, helping investigators piece together his movements.
Federal authorities say the second robbery followed a similar pattern.
Security footage showed a vehicle leaving Sartin’s home before the September 15 robbery and returning afterward. A man resembling Sartin was then seen unloading a bicycle and taking it toward the residence.
In another unusual development, investigators said Sartin was spotted spray-painting the vehicle’s white roof black the following day, apparently changing its appearance.
When FBI agents searched his home, they discovered several items resembling those seen in surveillance footage, including a bicycle, a blue suit, a black suit and a bag.
Investigators also recovered clothing receipts and materials covered in black spray paint.
A separate search of Sartin’s storage unit uncovered what prosecutors believe was the disguise used during the robberies.
Inside a backpack and laptop bag, agents reportedly found a prosthetic elderly man’s mask, dark-framed glasses, gloves and clothing matching items worn by the suspect.
Authorities also discovered a fake handgun, along with a pinstriped jacket, dress shoes, a white shirt and a dark blue cap.
But perhaps the strangest discovery came when investigators searched another residence where Sartin occasionally stayed.
There, agents found an additional old-man mask and a journal with the title “God’s Best friend is a Bank Robber!”
The journal, dated January 1, 2021, reportedly included writings and illustrations involving a character named Uncle Henry and the use of a disguise.
According to court records, the discovery was particularly significant because Sartin has a lengthy history of similar crimes.
At the time of the alleged Florida robberies, he was on federal supervised release following a 2018 conviction connected to five bank robberies committed in Texas in 2016.
Prosecutors said Sartin had used a similar elderly-man disguise during those robberies and had driven the same vehicle investigators linked to the recent Florida incidents.
He received a federal prison sentence of 10 years and one month in that case.
His criminal history stretches back even further.
In 2008, Sartin was convicted of attempted bank robbery after he and an accomplice tried to rob a bank while wearing Halloween masks and other disguises.
The newest charges have placed him back under federal scrutiny, with investigators alleging that he returned to a familiar method while still serving a period of court-ordered supervision.
Each of the two bank robbery charges carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, meaning Sartin could face up to 40 years if convicted on both counts and given consecutive maximum sentences.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Largo Police Department and the St. Petersburg Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Belkis H. Callaos is handling the federal prosecution.
Authorities have not publicly announced a trial date or disclosed whether Sartin has entered a plea.
