A disturbing bank robbery appears to have involved a child, and the suspect was just arrested by the FBI.
The Bureau arrested Ronnie Newman, 44, in Mineral Wells, Texas Monday evening as part of a bank robbery investigation.
Authorities say his alleged crime spree began on June 6 as he walked into a Walmart-based First Convenience Bank branch.
“The robbery suspect walked to the bank teller counter with a small child seated in a shopping art, then presented a note to a teller demanding cash,” the FBI wrote in a notice.
“After obtaining a known amount of U.S. currency, the subject pushed the child and hopping cart toward the exit, then continued fleeing from the location while carrying the small child.”
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A photo attached to the post shows the suspect carrying the unidentified child out of the Walmart.
#FBIDallas needs help identifying an individual responsible for a bank robbery that occurred June 6th at the First Convenience Bank branch located on Anderson Boulevard in Fort Worth. The robber is described as a white male, 35 to 45 years old, 5’7″ to 5’9″ with a thin build. pic.twitter.com/SWo6bOtemV
— FBI Dallas (@FBIDallas) June 13, 2024
In a follow-up post, the FBI announced the capture of Newman and acknowledged the arrest came after “numerous tips” from the public.
Should crimes involving children carry much heavier penalties for adults?
While Newman is considered innocent until proven guilty, this is not the Texan’s first run-in with the law.
One mugshot appears to show Newman after an arrest in November of last year on a charge of property theft. His status in that case is unclear.
What makes his most recent alleged crime all the more appalling is the fact that a small child was involved in the scheme.
The benefits of carrying a child in a robbery are clear. Not many people would suspect a kid-toting adult to be preparing for a bank robbery, and any responding law enforcement would have faced a nightmare scenario if the robber was armed and refused to let the child go.
Although police departments often have SWAT teams and officers trained in precision shooting under pressure, the collateral risk when a child is involved is a brutally difficult factor to weigh.
During a February armed robbery-turned-hostage situation in Florida, the suspect was cowering in the back of a bank, partially behind cover and a hostage.
A police sniper was able to fire through the lobby and end the suspect’s life with no damage to the hostages.
While this was an extraordinary situation, the presence of a kid would have undoubtedly escalated the tense situation.
The FBI did not note what connection, if any, Newman has with the child seen in the Texas robbery.
Newman is currently listed as an inmate at the Tarrant County Jail on a robbery charge, carrying a bond amount of $50,000.
