Long before the rest of us were commanded to wear masks due to the coronavirus, a former Michigan City, Indiana man wore one into the Three Oaks branch of the New Buffalo Savings Bank last fall and held the place up. Now, he’ll be behind bars for 18 years as a result.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that David Wilson Floyd, formerly of Michigan City, has been sentenced to serve 216 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney. Floyd entered a guilty plea back in March to armed bank robbery and attempted bank robbery. Upon release in 18 years, Floyd will also be supervised for an additional 3 years.
It was back on September 9, 2019, that Floyd entered the New Buffalo Savings Bank, located in Three Oaks, wearing a clear plastic mask. He pointed a handgun directly at the teller and stated “Get your money out.” He proceeded to steal $11,344 in U.S. currency and fled the scene. Nine days later, on September 18, 2019, Floyd drove to the G.W. Jones Exchange Bank, located in Edwardsburg, again wearing a mask and carrying a gun. He attempted to open the door to the bank, but, because the bank had closed at noon, the doors were locked. Employees of the bank reported the attempt.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, working with local Indiana and Michigan authorities, investigated and determined Floyd committed the September 9, 2019, armed bank robbery, the September 18, 2019, attempted bank robbery, as well as six additional robberies of convenience stores and gas stations in northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan between June of 2019 and September of that year. Floyd was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $12,294.
U.S. Attorney Birge says, “Mr. Floyd did not get much cash, but he did inflict a lot of terror on the employees,” adding, “And for that he earned the 18 years in prison he received. Crime does not pay in West Michigan.”
Steven M. D’Antuono, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan says, “Thanks to the great cooperative work of federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies, David Floyd is off the street and won’t pose a threat to our communities for years to come.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin M. Pinkston represented the United States in the case.
