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FBI Involved in Robbery

Fitness Model Robbery Suspect

You would think that a model wouldn’t need to commit a crime, especially one that would involve a robbery or risking their career.

Solana Beach fitness model arrested by the FBI in North Park this week was a fugitive in a cross-country crime spree including bank robberies, stolen cars and pursuits in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Arizona.

David Emery Byers, 34, known for art nude photos revealing tattoos and chiseled muscles, also faces local charges of grand theft.

FBI agents in tactical gear cornered him in a parking lot at Upas and 30th streets about 9 p.m. Tuesday. They fired a flash-bang round, apparently to distract Byers, as they took him into custody. Byers was evaluated for injuries before being booked into jail on a fugitive warrant from Connecticut.

Allegations that Byers is suspected of robbing gas stations and banks in Connecticut and New York surprised Los Angeles-based fine arts photographer Michael Stokes. In an email, Stokes said Byers was one of his most popular models “because of his bad-boy, handsome looks.”

Model Suspect

Stokes said he and Byers got to be friends in the course of three photo shoots between 2013 and 2015. Byers’ images were used on the covers of four novels and Stokes’ coffee-table book of male nudes, “Exhibition.”

Stokes Statement:

He has always been a hard worker, respectful and kind. He is devoted to his girlfriend and his pet dog,

Byers texted Stokes in the middle of his alleged East Coast robberies last week.

“He did not indicate that anything was wrong, in fact quite the opposite,” Stokes said. “Letting me know he had moved to New York, sent me some photos of his new digs.”

According to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday by Greenwich, Conn. police, Byers stole a black Range Rover in San Diego on March 28. That SUV was used as a getaway car in an April 26 robbery of a Chase bank branch in Greenwich. The complaint says the same robber held up the same branch the day before, and a Greenwich gas station on April 24. The three robberies netted $12,346.

The SUV’s license plate had been stolen in Suffolk County, N.Y. on April 20. Authorities there were investigating a string of gas station and bank robberies similar to the ones in Greenwich.

The complaint alleges Byers eluded Greenwich police in an April 28 pursuit by ditching the SUV and his white pit bull and running away. He is suspected of stealing another Range Rover in Port Chester, N.Y. that night. Detectives “pinged” his cellphone on Sunday, when he was in Gallup, N.M.

FBI Helps Robbery Case

The next morning, an officer with the Arizona Department of Public Safety got into a pursuit with the driver of a stolen black Chevrolet pickup. They headed west on Interstate 8 for about three miles, reaching Yuma, until the driver stopped, got out of the truck and ran into a motel parking lot, DPS Detective Chuck Ordonez said Thursday.

Ordonez said officers, with Yuma police, searched extensively for the driver but didn’t find him. The pickup had been stolen in Pennsylvania on Saturday, its license plate was stolen in Maryland, and another plate in the truck bed was stolen in Indiana.

Fingerprints in the truck revealed Byers had been driving it, Ordonez said.

Byers called a friend to get a ride from Yuma, said Special Agent Davene Butler of the San Diego FBI office. She said Byers then borrowed a car from a friend, and he was in that vehicle when he was arrested.

“He had evaded other law enforcement before. We wanted to get him off the streets,” Butler said.

Phoenix Bank and Loan Fraud Lawyer

Criminal Defense Cases

A simple mistake on a bank loan application or the use of expired checks could suddenly escalate into bank fraud allegations. At the Law Offices of the Phoenix-based Perlman Law Group, we are committed to defending banking professionals who handle substantial amounts of money, along with individuals who manage their own finances. We aggressively represent those accused of financial crimes such as:

 

  • Writing bad checks
  • Embezzlement
  • Loan application fraud
  • Identity theft
  • Credit card fraud

 

Contact an Attorney Right Away if You Have Been Suspected of Fraud

If you are suspected of bank fraud, the criminal defense attorneys at Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC in Phoenix will act quickly to develop an effective defense strategy, while seeking to mitigate any potential damages. They will investigate the evidence obtained against you to determine if the charges fit the crime you allegedly committed. They are prepared to develop a defense strategy based on a lack of criminal intent. Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC will use your clean record to help substantiate a claim that you made an innocent mistake with no intent to commit fraud.

 

Types of Loan and Bank Fraud Charges in Phoenix

Our Phoenix federal fraud charge defense lawyers handle a wide range of charges, including:

  • Embezzlement
  • Immigration fraud
  • Bankruptcy fraud
  • Mortgage fraud

 

Early intervention in any criminal case is helpful, but it can play a uniquely significant role in a white-collar case in which creative case management could potentially help a client avoid criminal prosecution or quickly resolve his or her case.

Schedule a Free Consultation – Phoenix Bank and Loan Fraud Lawyer

If you or someone you know has been accused of bank and loan fraud, contact a Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyer Today to Schedule a Free Consultation. With a wealth of expertise, a commitment to integrity and a passion for defense, the Attorneys at Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC – Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyers – are here to support you with your case. We believe every defendant has the right to a solid defense. Call us today for a free initial consultation at 480-351-6445.

 

 

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC
668 N 44th St. Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(480) 351-6445
https://www.criminaldefenselawyers.me

Categories
assault Personal Injury

Sexual Assault Cases in Phoenix

Police Searching for Sexual Assault Suspect in Phoenix

 

Police are looking for a man accused of trying to sexually assault a woman at her apartment in downtown Phoenix.

According to Silent Witness, on Saturday, March 19 before 8:30 p.m., a 21-year-old woman was followed by a man to her apartment near 3rd and Roosevelt streets.
The man reportedly pretended to be looking for a different apartment, but when she entered her residence and closed the door, the suspect pushed the door open and entered.

He grabbed the victim and tried to drag her to her bedroom, but the victim’s roommate came out of his room and chased him off.

“I think it’s really crazy, honestly,” said Steven Samaniego, a tenant at Roosevelt Point Apartments where the incident happened. “There’s a lot of hidden spots the cameras can’t really see.”

Residents say they’ve learned to watch their backs.

“I actually had an encounter, as well, not to that extreme, but I did see someone strange walking around and trying to come in behind me,” Miller said.

Even though the gates are secured and there are surveillance cameras all around the building, it wasn’t enough to keep a bad guy out.

“Coming in and out, you just assume that they live here too, so that’s tough to decipher if someone really forgot their keys or if they are just sneaking in,” said Grady Gavigan, another resident.

Video footage from the apartment elevator shows the suspect attempting to change clothes before leaving the building.

He is described as a Hispanic or Native American in his early to mid 20s. He’s about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds.

If you know anything, please contact Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS. Silent Witness is offering up to $1,000 for helpful information.

 

 

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC
668 N 44th St. Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(480) 351-6445

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