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The United States Attorney's Office Public Affairs Office: Press Release February 17, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE "COMMON JOE BANDIT" ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH BANK ROBBERYR. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office, announced that defendant Douglas Granston has been arrested and charged in a federal criminal complaint filed today in Fort Lauderdale with armed bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United states Code, Section 2113 (a) and (d). He made his appearance in federal court this morning in Fort Lauderdale. A pre-trial detention hearing has been scheduled for February 24, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. before Magistrate Judge Barry Seltzer. According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Granston was identified as the bank robber after bank surveillance photographs were released by the media. Information generated from the news media coverage led to the identification and subsequent arrest of Granston as the person who had robbed the Bank of America, located on West Broward Boulevard in Plantation, FL, on January 16, 2009, as well as other banks. The complaint further alleges that Granston confessed to committing fifteen (15) bank robberies in the Southern District of Florida. During the interview, Granston identified himself in various bank surveillance photographs at the victim banks. In addition, Granston stated that he carried a loaded .45 caliber pistol during the commission of 14 of the 15 bank robberies. Ammunition used by a .45 caliber pistol was seized from Granston's residence after he consented to a search. Mr. Acosta commended the extraordinary investigative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and its Violent Crimes Task Force. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Donald Chase. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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