Man accused of robbing armored car received ‘compassionate release’ from previous sentence for same crime
A man accused of robbing an armored car at gunpoint earlier this year had previously served 26 years in federal prison and was granted “compassionate release” by the state of California, which is typically reserved for inmates diagnosed with terminal diseases or other debilitating illnesses.
Markham David Bond, 60, of Inglewood was arrested in November for allegedly robbing a Brinks courier at gunpoint in a Chase bank parking lot on South Sepulveda Boulevard in Westchester on Aug. 18.
Bond allegedly pointed a gun at a Brinks employee who was carrying a blue duffel bag full of cash, ordered him to the ground and verbally threatened him. He then fled with the duffel bag, which was filled with about $145,000 in cash.
Police issued a crime alert for the suspect, releasing still images of a getaway car and the person identified as the robber.
On Aug. 27, officers located and seized the vehicle, a Chevrolet Tahoe with “distinctive rims and damage to a rear window,” where they found the blue duffel bag and a black Las Vegas Raiders ballcap that matched the one shown in surveillance images.
Bond was eventually identified as the suspect through DNA evidence collected from the ballcap and was arrested at his Inglewood home on Nov. 22. His home is located only about a few-hundred feet from where the suspect vehicle was found, officials said.
During the arrest, authorities recovered a .40-caliber pistol with 10 rounds of ammunition, a maroon-colored long-sleeve shirt similar to the one worn by the armored car robber, as well as $9,000 in crumpled cash that was hidden inside a refrigerator.
According to the United States Department of Justice, Bond was previously convicted in 1985 and 1995 for armed bank robbery, firearms violations and other crimes. In January 1995, he was sentenced to 46 years and 10 months in prison for another armed robbery of an armored vehicle courier.
But in January 2022, Bond’s attorney petitioned for him to be placed on supervised release, citing California’s “compassionate release” rule which allows for the release of prisoners who are terminally ill or have other serious health complications that could result in them being unable to care for themselves.
Bond’s lawyer argued that the now 60-year-old was in fragile health and was no longer a threat to the community. Despite objections from the DOJ, a judge granted his release and Bond began his 12-year supervised release that was part of his original sentence.
Bond now awaits new charges for the armored car heist, as well as charges related to gun and ammunition possession, which violated the terms of his release.
He is currently being held in jail without bail while he awaits trial. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
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