A man previously convicted of robbing banks in Texas while wearing an “old man” mask is now accused of carrying out two additional bank robberies in Florida using a similar disguise, federal officials said.
David Sartin Jr., 40, of St. Petersburg, Florida, faces two federal counts of bank robbery related to incidents at Tampa-area banks in August and September. According to a criminal complaint filed on October 14, Sartin committed the robberies while on supervised release following a 2018 conviction for bank robberies in Texas that involved the same style of mask.
The first robbery occurred on August 24 at a Valley Bank branch in Largo. Sartin allegedly wore a straw hat, sport jacket, gloves, and a mask depicting the face of an elderly man. He demanded cash from a teller, specifying that no dye packs be included — devices that banks use to stain stolen money and deter spending. The teller triggered a silent alarm and handed over $2,900. An employee recalled the suspect saying, “Until we meet again,” before leaving.
The second robbery took place on September 15 at a Truist Bank branch in St. Petersburg. Wearing a mask, flat cap, glasses, sport jacket, and gloves, Sartin gave a teller a note demanding cash and again requesting no dye packs. The teller handed over approximately $2,554 but later expressed skepticism about the suspect’s disguise, noting that he “did not move like an old man would.”
Surveillance footage from the Largo robbery showed the suspect escaping by bicycle into a nearby nature preserve, where a Toyota FJ Cruiser with a white roof was parked. Investigators traced the vehicle through license plate reading cameras and found it linked to Sartin’s father. A speeding ticket identified Sartin Jr. as the driver. Authorities said the same vehicle was used in the earlier Texas robberies.
Following the September 15 robbery, law enforcement observed Sartin spray-painting the Toyota’s roof black. He was arrested on September 19 on a warrant alleging violations of his supervised release.
A search of Sartin’s storage unit uncovered a backpack containing clothing, a fake handgun, and a mask with gray facial hair matching the disguises worn during the Florida robberies. At his father’s residence, investigators found another mask and a journal with the inscription, “God’s Best friend is a Bank Robber!” attributed to David Sartin.
Sartin pleaded guilty in 2018 to five bank robberies committed in Texas during 2016 and was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. He began supervised release in May 2025. Prior to that, in 2008, he pleaded guilty to attempted bank robbery in Mississippi involving Halloween masks and served 38 months in prison.
If convicted on the current charges, Sartin faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each count. His attorney’s identity has not been disclosed, and Sartin’s father declined to comment on the matter.