A Port St. Lucie man, David Abram Ziesel, 45, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to his third bank robbery conviction. Ziesel's latest heist occurred in January, when he entered a bank in Fellsmere, Florida, with his face and head concealed, reportedly demanding employees to fill a pillowcase with cash. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, his escape attempt included a high-speed chase exceeding 100 m.p.h., reckless driving, and ending with a vehicle crash into a power pole in Fort Pierce.
Ziesel's attempt to escape ended when his car was spotted speeding on I-95. The chase involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Fellsmere Police, and the Florida Highway Patrol. Despite driving on the wrong side of the road and running red lights, his flight ended when he crashed into another vehicle and hit an electric pole.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Miami. Veltri's team collaborated with local authorities to apprehend Ziesel promptly. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Hoover prosecuted the case against Ziesel. Details of the case and related court documents can be found on the website for the District Court for the Southern District of Florida or through the PACER system under case number 24-cr-14009.
