A convicted bank robber released early from federal prison under a compassionate release program is heading back to prison for the same crime for which he was originally sent away.
Markham David Bond was found guilty Thursday by a federal jury in Los Angeles of one count of interference with commerce by theft, one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon who was in possession of a firearm and ammunition, according to the US Department of Justice.
Bond, 61, robbed a Brinks courier at gunpoint in a Chase bank parking lot near LAX on August 18, 2023.
He had approached the driver of the armored vehicle, pointed a gun at him and demanded the money.
The Brinks employee, fearing for his life, dropped the duffel bag full of cash and complied with Bond’s order.
The convicted thug snatched the bag and made off with $145,000 in cash.
Bond was arrested on November 22, 2023, with police finding a trove of evidence linking him to the robbery after searching his home and the getaway car he used for the robbery.
Investigators said they recovered cash from the robbery hidden in “a mini-fridge” at his home, a .40-caliber pistol containing ten rounds of ammunition, and the shirt he was wearing when he committed the crime. The empty Brinks bag was found in the getaway car.
Following his arrest, it was revealed that the brazen robber had been released on “compassionate” grounds in early 2022 following a conviction for bank robberies and other gun crimes in the mid-1990s, the DOJ reported.
“After being given a second chance at life, this defendant unfortunately chose a path of violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada.
Bond was sentenced to 46 years and 10 months in prison after his conviction in January 1995.
He was given compassionate release after serving only 26 years of his sentence.
Bonds was under surveillance when he robbed the Brinks employee at gunpoint in 2023.
“Through our strong partnerships with federal and local law enforcement agencies, we will continue to use our resources to protect our community by holding violent offenders who use guns accountable,” Estrada said.
The California felon also had a lengthy criminal history dating from the 1980s and 1990s, including armed robbery, use of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin.
A “compassionate release” is a legal process that allows for the early release of prisoners for “extraordinary and compelling reasons,” such as serious health problems, old age or important family circumstances, according to the law. US Criminal Commission.
It is unclear for what reason Bonds was given the 2022 release.
A sentencing hearing for the serial criminal is scheduled for July 11, 2025. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
