Palmdale bank security guard arrested for armed robbery heist he allegedly arranged

A 24-year-old bank security guard has been arrested in connection with an armed robbery heist that took place outside the Palmdale bank where he worked.

Bank security guard Tyjana Grayes, 24, and two other Antelope Valley residents, Jerry Wimbley Jr., 21, and Roman Isaiah Smith, 24, were arrested for the armed robbery of a couple picking up $200,000 in cash from a Chase Bank in January.

All three are charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and interference with commerce by robbery, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of, and during a crime of violence, according to The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Wimbley is also charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and three counts of money laundering.

As a couple deposited a check for $315,301 into their account at Chase Bank in Palmdale, bank employees informed them they would have to come back to pick up the cash, as the bank did not have that large amount of currency.

Grayes allegedly learned of the planned cash pickup from a bank teller. He then allegedly told Wimbley and Smith about the pickup so they could rob the victims, according to prosecutors.

The pair allegedly waited in the parking lot, as Grayes allegedly communicated with them through texts. As the couple left the bank with the cash, Wimbley and Smith exited their vehicle with semiautomatic handguns, threatened to shoot the victims, and stole the money, prosecutors allege.

According to the ATF, Wimbley laundered the money at a local casino. He purchased about $34,500 in gambling chips and cashed out approximately $168,700. During five of the visits to the casino, he cashed out about $89,700 without having purchased any chips during that visit.

If convicted of all charges, the defendants would each face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.