Candice Rose Martinez
Encyclopedia
Candice Rose Martinez also known as the "Cell Phone Bandit," committed four bank robberies
in Northern Virginia
, U.S.A., in October and November of 2005, when she was a 19-year-old Northern Virginia Community College
student. She was given the "Cell Phone Bandit" nickname
by the media because she spoke on her mobile
while committing the robberies.
Candice received international notoriety when surveillance
footage of the robberies was aired on newscasts worldwide, showing her talking on her cell phone during the robberies. It was later discovered that Martinez was talking to her 19-year-old boyfriend Dave C. Williams, who was also driving her getaway car. The case attracted widespread attention due to Martinez's being a young, attractive female college student, as well as the brazen way she conducted the robberies: while calmly talking on her phone.
Dave C. Williams and Martinez were arrested on November 14 and 15, 2005, respectively. Martinez confessed shortly after her arrest. A total of $48,620 was stolen in the four heists. The couple bought a 1997 Acura Integra, two big-screen televisions, and plenty of designer clothes and bags, court records state.
On December 13, 2005, Martinez pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia
, to two felony
charges. On March 3, 2006, she was sentenced to 12 years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons
, to be followed by 5 years supervised release (probation
), a $200 special assessment (court costs
), and $43,850 in restitution
by U.S. District Judge
Gerald Bruce Lee.
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
in Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
, U.S.A., in October and November of 2005, when she was a 19-year-old Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College, often abbreviated NVCC and colloquially as NOVA, comprises several locations in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., and is both the second largest multi-campus community college in the United States and the largest educational institution in the...
student. She was given the "Cell Phone Bandit" nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
by the media because she spoke on her mobile
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
while committing the robberies.
Candice received international notoriety when surveillance
Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
footage of the robberies was aired on newscasts worldwide, showing her talking on her cell phone during the robberies. It was later discovered that Martinez was talking to her 19-year-old boyfriend Dave C. Williams, who was also driving her getaway car. The case attracted widespread attention due to Martinez's being a young, attractive female college student, as well as the brazen way she conducted the robberies: while calmly talking on her phone.
Dave C. Williams and Martinez were arrested on November 14 and 15, 2005, respectively. Martinez confessed shortly after her arrest. A total of $48,620 was stolen in the four heists. The couple bought a 1997 Acura Integra, two big-screen televisions, and plenty of designer clothes and bags, court records state.
On December 13, 2005, Martinez pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, to two felony
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
charges. On March 3, 2006, she was sentenced to 12 years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a federal law enforcement agency subdivision of the United States Department of Justice and is responsible for the administration of the federal prison system. The system also handles prisoners who committed acts considered felonies under the District of Columbia's...
, to be followed by 5 years supervised release (probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
), a $200 special assessment (court costs
Court costs
Court costs are the costs of handling a case, which, depending on legal rules, may or may not include the costs of the various parties in a lawsuit in addition to the costs of the court itself. Court costs can reach very high amounts, often far beyond the actual monetary worth of a case...
), and $43,850 in restitution
Restitution
The law of restitution is the law of gains-based recovery. It is to be contrasted with the law of compensation, which is the law of loss-based recovery. Obligations to make restitution and obligations to pay compensation are each a type of legal response to events in the real world. When a court...
by U.S. District Judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
Gerald Bruce Lee.