On Tuesday Mike Byrd provided us with his high-speed, first-hand account of how, along a rural stretch of Mississippi highway, the sheriff there used his .40-cal Sig Sauer to shoot out the tire of a fleeing Steven Milam, the Tyler casket salesmen better known as the "Handsome Guy" Bandit who police say held up some dozen banks in and around Dallas. Late yesterday, the U.S. Attorney's Office filled in even more blanks to an already fascinating tale, dispatching the criminal complaint involving the New Year's Eve shootout at Compass Bank in Richardson that eventually allowed authorities to figure out the man beneath the fancy mask.
The complaint follows and includes the first-hand account of Dennis Mumford, a Dallas Police officer assigned to the FBI's Violent Crime Squad. It's vague in some spots, because Mumford doesn't want to show all his cards just yet, but detailed in others regarding the events that led to Milam being ID'd, at last, as the Handsome Guy. Per the summary provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office, it begins, as stories like this often do, with the hold-up, the threats, everyone being ushered into the bathroom and the daring bank teller going for the panic button ...
During the robbery, Milam pointed a handgun at the bank manager and demanded money from the vault. While wielding the handgun, he then ordered the bank manager and several employees into the vault; one of the employees pressed the panic alarm before entering the vault. Milam ordered the bank manager to put $100s, $50s and $20s into a clear plastic bag that he had brought with him. He also ordered two tellers from the vault to their teller windows and also ordered them to put large bills in the bag. He instructed both tellers not to place any trackers or dye packs in the bag or he would kill them. He escorted all witnesses to the bathroom and told them to count to 500 and not to contact the police because he would be listening to a police scanner.The rest of the story follows for those in need of a last-minute story idea for their screenplay-writing class this morning.
Steven Ray Milam Complaint NDTX
WITH ARMED ROBBERY OF COMPASS BANK IN RICHARDSON, TEXAS
DALLAS, Texas -- A federal criminal complaint was filed this afternoon charging Richardson, Texas, resident, Steven Ray Milam, with robbing the BBVA Compass Bank in Richardson, Texas, on New Year's Eve 2011. Milam, 44, was discovered yesterday in Jackson County, Mississippi, where, after a high speed car chase, law enforcement apprehended and arrested him. He remains in custody and will make his initial appearance in federal court in Dallas on a date to be determined by the Court. Today's announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Casey, Jr. of Dallas FBI.
Milam was given the moniker "Handsome Guy Bandit" by the FBI because of the mask he allegedly wore in this bank robbery, as well as in other bank robberies he is believed to have committed throughout North Texas.
According to the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, at approximately 11:40 a.m. on Saturday, December 31, 2011, Milam, wearing a latex-type mask and a blue warm-up suit, robbed the BBVA Compass Bank, located at 1401 East Campbell Road, in Richardson. During the robbery, Milam pointed a handgun at the bank manager and demanded money from the vault. While wielding the handgun, he then ordered the bank manager and several employees into the vault; one of the employees pressed the panic alarm before entering the vault. Milam ordered the bank manager to put $100s, $50s and $20s into a clear plastic bag that he had brought with him. He also ordered two tellers from the vault to their teller windows and also ordered them to put large bills in the bag. He instructed both tellers not to place any trackers or dye packs in the bag or he would kill them. He escorted all witnesses to the bathroom and told them to count to 500 and not to contact the police because he would be listening to a police scanner.
Shortly after Milam left the bank, officers with the Richardson Police Department responded to the location and saw him walking eastward in the parking lot from the bank location. Milam, fleeing on foot, opened fire on the officers and several rounds penetrated a squad car. While searching the surrounding area, officers located a mask, blue warm-up suit, handgun and plastic bags containing cash. Inside a pocket of the warm-up suit, officers found a key fob and matched it to a vehicle, registered to Milam, that was parked at the bank.
A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offenses charged, and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The government has 30 days to present the matter to a grand jury for indictment. The maximum statutory sentence for one count of bank robbery with the use of a dangerous weapon, as presently charged, is 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The investigation, which continues, is being conducted by the FBI in conjunction with the Richardson Police Department. U.S. Attorney Saldaña and Special Agent in Charge Casey praised the work of the Jackson County, Mississippi, Sheriff's Department in apprehending the defendant.
