A serial bank robber has sought release from federal prison recently after serving part of a 15-year sentence for the reason of “transitioning as a transgender woman.”
Carisa Cline, a 44-year-old transwoman, started her bank robbing career on the 28th of January by robbing an M&T Bank. She was arrested on February 9th, after two more bank robberies between the two dates. The Central Processing Unit of Montgomery, Maryland imprisoned Carisa Cline for one count of armed robbery and two counts of robbery under her legal, dead name, Christopher Cline.
Meghan Brennan, who is an attorney representing Ms. Cline, asked that she be released from custody for medical reasons. “She is undergoing transitioning as a transgender woman,” Ms Brennan said. “She does undergo hormone treatments.” Ms Brennan also said her client suffers from schizoaffective disorder. Judge John Moffett declined the request, ordering the suspect to be held without bond on the basis that she would present a danger to the community.
In her first robbery on January 28, she approached a teller, announcing, “Give me money! This is a robbery!” According to bank employees, the suspect became furious when she was told they had no money. As a result, Cline hopped into her black Chevrolet Malibu, which had dealership tags, and sped off. Employees described the suspect as a man dressed in tan pants, a black hat, black hat, black mask, black gloves, and a baggy burgundy Washington Football Team jacket. The day after, she entered a BB&T Bank, where she handed a bank teller a note that read, “I have a gun this is a robbery.” Cline fled the bank with about $9,500 in cash.
A Montgomery County Police Department press release from February 9th says authorities staked out the home of Carisa Cline after a crime analyst learned the “career” bank robber had been released from prison three months prior. She was also living within a mile of the banks where 2 of the crimes occurred. On February 8, investigators observed Ms. Cline leaves her residence wearing the latex gloves and black jacket seen in the BB&T Bank surveillance footage. She drove her Malibu, which was seen previously, to a Wells Fargo Bank.
The press release states that Cline entered the bank, “approached a teller, announced the robbery, and implied” she had a weapon, and the teller gave her money, court records show. Detectives then saw Ms. Cline ran out the bank, entered her car, and drove back to her apartment building. When officers attempted to arrest her, Cline fled on foot, authorities say. Eventually the officers caught up to her and took her into custody. In search of her car, investigators found $6,699, which matched the sum stolen from Wells Fargo. Investigators also found the Washington Foot Ball team jacket that she wore to the M&T Bank attempted robbery in her apartment.
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ARTICLE: JACOB ZUBY
POLITICS EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE
PHOTO CREDITS: FORBES
