A federal jury has convicted the final member of a violent Memphis bank robbery crew, bringing to a close a sprawling case that saw eight defendants linked to multiple armed heists across the city that netted more than $160,000.
Mario Patterson, 45, was found guilty in Memphis federal court of robbing three banks and participating in a conspiracy that ultimately targeted five bank branches between April and December 2023. The conviction marks the final domino to fall in a case that prosecutors described as particularly brazen and violent.
“This defendant was part of a violent robbery crew whose actions put lives in grave danger and seriously injured innocent people,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Evidence presented at trial showed Patterson carried a firearm during each robbery, and in one particularly violent attempted heist, shot two people with an assault rifle. His sentencing is scheduled for April 24.
A Pattern of Violence
Patterson’s co-defendants have already begun receiving substantial prison terms. Robert Haley was sentenced to 17 years behind bars, while Devin Hinds received 16 years and 1 month. Joshua Cribbs will serve 12 years following sentencing in late 2025. Four additional defendants are awaiting sentencing.
“Bank robbery committed with a firearm is an inherently violent offense and threatens the very fabric of our financial institutions that provide commercial services to citizens and the community,” U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee stated.
The Patterson case is just one of several bank robbery incidents that have rattled Tennessee communities in recent months. Is this part of a broader trend?
In a separate case, a 16-year-old was arrested for shooting and robbing a 62-year-old man who had offered him a ride after buying candy outside a Nashville Kroger. The incident, while not a bank robbery, reflects similar concerns about armed violence in the state.
Career Criminals and Bank Heists
Another troubling case involves David Taylor, 64, who robbed two banks and attempted a third in Hixson using notes and a pistol. Taylor was arrested after boldly returning to one of the banks he’d previously targeted.
Taylor’s case stands out for its recidivism. Court records show a history of bank robberies dating back to 1993, including a 2009 federal conviction for what was then his sixth bank robbery, resulting in a 15-year sentence.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Jaylan Smith was charged with robbery at Fifth Third Bank after passing a note demanding money. He’s currently held on $75,000 bond, while authorities have issued a warrant for his alleged accomplice, 19-year-old Andrew Holsapple.
The violence associated with these robberies has sometimes been caught on camera. Body camera footage revealed a teller describing a Tennessee bank robbery suspect who fired two shots during a heist, including one into the ceiling.
In yet another case, Alamin Shakur, a 35-year-old ex-convict and suspected bank robber, was apprehended at a Trinity Lane motel in Nashville on January 31, 2025.
“Friday’s conviction should send a strong message that violent crime will not be tolerated, and law enforcement will not rest until violent offenders are caught, prosecuted, and held accountable for their actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office, referring to the Patterson case that capped the eight-defendant prosecution.
For Tennessee communities rattled by these armed robberies, the convictions offer some measure of justice — but the string of recent cases suggests the problem is far from solved.
