Arizona’s ‘Grimace Bandit’ sentenced to 7 years for bank robberies
Nov 7, 2018, 3:00 PM
(Gulfport Police Department Photo)
PHOENIX — Arizona’s “Grimace Bandit,” nicknamed for the color scheme of the outfits she wore during a string of bank robberies, was sentenced to seven years in prison, the FBI announced Wednesday.
In addition, 34-year-old Miranda Maloney was sentenced on Oct. 22 in the U.S. District Court of Arizona to 36 months of supervised release and ordered to pay $15,085 in restitution.
In December 2017, Maloney was arrested in Gulfport, Mississippi, by FBI agents and local police in connection with seven Arizona bank robberies.
The crimes — three in Phoenix and one each in Tucson, Marana, Goodyear and Yuma — occurred between Sept. 30 and Nov. 4 of 2017.
On Aug. 6, she pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery.
Authorities used the “Grimace Bandit” nickname because she wore a purple shirt and scarf during some of the crimes, creating a resemblance to Grimace, the furry purple McDonald’s character.
According to the Gulfport Police Department, she was arrested for being a fugitive from justice after she was found panhandling in Mississippi.