Phoenix, Arizona - On October 22, 2018, Miranda Maloney, 34, also known as the “Grimace Bandit,” was sentenced to 84 months in prison, along with 36 months of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution of $15,085.00.
The “Grimace Bandit” earned the nickname because the suspect wore a purple shirt and a purple scarf during some of the robberies. According to court documents, Maloney would enter a bank and present the teller with a demand note. No one was physically injured.
Maloney was arrested on December 23, 2017, by officers from the Gulfport, Mississippi Police Department and FBI agents.
On August 6, 2018, Maloney pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery and was ordered to pay restitution to seven victims.
The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force would like to thank the Gulfport, Mississippi Police Department. We would also like to thank the Arizona Department of Public Safety laboratory, the Phoenix Police Department, the Goodyear Police Department, Tucson Police Department, Yuma Police Department, Marana Police Department, the media, and the public for their assistance with this case.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Brooks, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
The FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force is comprised of the Phoenix Police Department, Scottsdale Police Department, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and the FBI.