Charles Christopher Martinez, 48, an Arvada resident who previously served time for bank robbery, is back behind bars after a Colorado Boulevard bank heist that investigators say looked uncomfortably familiar. Police allege Martinez walked into a U.S. Bank branch, demanded cash from a teller, then took off before officers later recovered clothing that matched surveillance images. Martinez, who went on to write about his earlier prison stint, is now being held while investigators and prosecutors sort out possible charges.
According to CBS News Colorado, Martinez was arrested on Jan. 8 after investigators linked him to a robbery that happened three days earlier. Responding officers reportedly found a bright orange jacket marked "Tech Ops" that matched what bank cameras captured inside the branch. Authorities had released those surveillance photos to the public as they hunted for a suspect.
Local coverage from Denver7 says Metro Denver Crime Stoppers described the robber as a slender man with a goatee, wearing a black Carhartt beanie and gray sweatpants, and urged anyone with tips to call 720-913-STOP. The station reported that the FBI's Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force worked with Denver police during the early public outreach, and that the circulated tips and images helped lead investigators to a suspect within days.
Ex-Bank Robber Turned Author Back In The Spotlight
Martinez previously served a lengthy sentence for bank robbery and later published "The Life Of An Outlaw," a memoir that lays out his conviction and prison connections, CBS News Colorado reports. The outlet cites an FBI spokesperson who confirmed Martinez's earlier incarceration and noted that he went on to publish at least one other crime-based novel after his memoir. Investigators have not publicly released any motive for the alleged January robbery.
Federal Heat For Bank Robbery Cases
Bank robbery is prosecuted under federal law, 18 U.S.C. § 2113, and can result in decades in prison depending on the details of the crime, including tougher penalties if a weapon or force is involved, according to the Legal Information Institute. Because most banks are federally insured, cases involving teller operations or bank funds typically land in U.S. District Court rather than only in state court. That federal jurisdiction affects how charges are filed and which prosecutors ultimately take the lead.
Case Moves Toward Federal Review
Martinez remains in custody while local and federal authorities review the investigation. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Colorado has recently brought several bank-robbery prosecutions that ended with federal prison sentences, underscoring Washington's interest in these kinds of cases. Press releases from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver outline how similar robberies have moved into federal court for prosecution. Anyone with information about the Colorado Boulevard robbery is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers.
