11 Years For 'Blond Bandit' In Bank Robberies
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) -- A northern Virginia woman who became known as the "blond bandit" has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for a string of bank robberies and carjackings last year.
Stephanie Schwab of Manassas pleaded guilty earlier this year to stealing $3,200 in a pair of November bank robberies, plus another attempted robbery. She also admitted stealing a car from relatives and carjacking two others.
Schwab had been a member of the MS-13 street gang and for a period of time was in the Witness Protection Program after testifying at high-profile murder trial.
Prosecutors sought a term of at least 10 years at Thursday's sentencing hearing, a term in line with federal sentencing guidelines.
Schwab's lawyer said that heroin addiction drove her crime spree.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
