Bank robber released and strikes again, now heads back to prison

McALLEN, Texas – A 55-year-old McAllen resident has been ordered to federal prison after he admitted to robbing another bank, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Joe Wayne Galipp pleaded guilty Aug. 8, 2019, admitting he robbed the Vantage Bank located on 2nd Street in McAllen.

Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane handed Galipp a 60-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard about a 2004 convenience store robbery and a 2013 bank robbery.  After serving his federal sentence for the bank robbery, he was ordered to be on supervised release, during which time he committed the instant offense. The court revoked the remainder of that term and ordered he serve five months to be served concurrently to the current sentence. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of Gallip’s prior criminal history and continued criminal conduct. 

In May 2019, Galipp entered the Vantage Bank, approached a teller and demanded money from the till. The teller ultimately relented after his repeated commands. Galipp then placed the money in a bag he had brought with him and fled on foot. 

Later that same day, law enforcement apprehended Galipp and positively identified him through security camera footage. At that time, he was in possession of the bag containing the money.

In 2013, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen sentenced Galipp to a 41-month sentence for the previous bank robbery. Galipp had entered a Bank of America in Harlingen, dressed in a trench coat, hat and sunglasses. He then approached the teller with a handwritten note demanding the money, after which he fled on foot.

Galipp has been and will remain in custody where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The McAllen Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.