Chronic Bay Area thief, bank robber given over 5 years in federal prison

SAN FRANCISCO - An Antioch man has been given over five years in federal prison for bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey said Wednesday.     

Brandon Elder, 29, pleaded guilty last December to bank robbery stemming from a 2022 crime in San Francisco.     

On Sept. 20, 2022, Elder entered a bank in the Marina District wearing a black hoodie, black facemask and blue gloves. He told the teller, "This is a robbery," and demanded $50s and $100 bills. The teller gave him over $10,000 in cash and Elder ran out of the building and into his car, which was parked in a nearby garage.     

Two days later, Elder was picked up in Pleasant Hill while shoplifting a PlayStation from a Target store. He was found with nearly $8,000 in his pocket as well.     

Elder was indicted in November 2022 and charged with one count of bank robbery, to which he pleaded guilty with a written plea agreement.     

According to prosecutors, Elder committed the Marina District bank robbery while he was out on parole. He had just gotten out of custody 19 days earlier after serving time for another bank robbery he committed in January 2022 in Brentwood. He had also already been convicted of 11 other thefts in state court, including a violent case in which he slashed a loss prevention officer with a box cutter.     

"Enough is enough," said Ramsey in a statement released by the Department of Justice on Wednesday. "Repeat offenders like Brandon Elder should not be allowed to continue terrorizing the community."   

In addition to prison, Elder will have to complete a year of supervised release after he gets out. He was immediately taken to prison upon sentencing.