VERO BEACH — A man suspected of a string of bank robberies that reportedly netted about $11,000 across five Florida counties — including First Peoples Bank in Vero Beach last week — is in custody ending a six-week crime spree.Jaime William Gordon, 30, a transient with ties to Mississippi, has confessed to authorities of robbing 11 banks dating back to February in Indian River, Brevard, Seminole, Volusia and Orange counties. He is also a suspect in bank heists in Mississippi and Tennessee. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement he was caught Tuesday by a Brevard County Sherriff’s Office Deputy on a routine patrol who recognized Gordon from a photo. Gordon had become the subject of a task force involving the FBI, FDLE and local law enforcement agencies where the robberies had occurred. After attempting to elude authorities, Gordon was arrested for an outstanding warrant from Tennessee.
FDLE resident agent Wayne Ivey said Gordon was robbing the banks to get money to live on as he had no other means of support once the Tennessee warrant was issued.
“To his way of thinking the only way for him to live (once he was on the run) was to rob banks,” Ivey said.
Ivey said once Gordon was in custody he started bragging about his crime spree and even admitted to a bank robbery in Tennessee law enforcement had not yet connected to him.
Authorities allege Gordon would enter each bank, indicate to the customer service representatives that he possessed a firearm, and demand that the tellers provide him with money. Gordon committed the robberies beginning Feb. 15 and hit banks in Biloxi, Miss., Hattiesburg, Miss., Rockledge, Daytona Beach, Vero Beach, Sanford, Palm Bay, Titusville, and most recently, he is believed to have committed two robberies Tuesday in Orlando.
He was immediately taken to the Brevard County Detention Center on charges of fraud, impersonation, false ID given to law enforcement officers, resisting arrest and obstruction.
