3 Houston men sentenced for 2021 bank robberies

HOUSTON - Three men will spend the next nine years behind bars in connection with an armed robbery at a Houston bank back in 2021. 

Alex Thomas, Lorenzo Smith, and Rafael Fernandez II, were sentenced for their involvement in the crimes that were committed in September and November 2021. 

The first incident occurred at the Woodforest National Bank on September 23, 2021. Two of the suspects jumped over the teller counter, while one held the bank tellers at gunpoint. The men forcibly opened cash drawers and stole money before fleeing the scene in a stolen vehicle that was later found abandoned. 

Then the same group of suspects returned to the bank on November 5, 2021, and committed a second armed robbery using the same tactics, officials said. 

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During this robbery, Pearland police units located the suspect vehicle, described as a white Dodge Ram dually truck, and began a brief chase that concluded with a high-risk traffic stop on 288 Frontage Road South. 

The men were charged for their crimes, which include aiding and abetting bank robbery and brandishing a firearm. 

U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani expressed the gravity of their actions, stating, "These men put innocent lives at risk – first when they terrorized bank employees at gunpoint, then by engaging in a reckless escape. Thankfully, authorities were on their heels and put them in custody in short order. This sentence shows our vigilance in combating violent crime and how we partner with law enforcement to ensure these criminals are off the streets of Houston."