Asst. Bank Manager Charged With Robbing Bank Using Fake Explosive
EAST LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The assistant manager of an East Los Angeles bank that was robbed in 2012 was charged Friday in connection with the crime.
Aurora Barrera, 32, was charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery, bank robbery and aiding and abetting for the Sept. 5, 2012 incident, police said.
Barrera told police two suspects in ski masks abducted her in front of her Huntington Park home before taking her to a Bank of America branch at 941 South Atlantic Blvd. where a device was strapped around her waist and she was ordered to withdraw money.
The suspects then fled the location with approximately $560,000, according to reports. Officials evacuated the bank, and a robot detonated the device to find it was not explosive.
After further investigation, it was determined Barrera's boyfriend, Ray Vega, allegedly strapped the fake device to her body as part of his orchestrated plan, according to police.
Vega, a former firearms instructor, was indicted in May along with two others on the same charges.
Barrera, who was on medial leave from the bank, is scheduled to appear in court after 2 p.m. for a post-indictment arraignment in Los Angeles federal court.
If convicted of the charges, all three suspects face up to 25 years in federal prison.
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