A Gainesville man has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of bank robbery and bank theft. Patrick Shane Johnson, 51, admitted to robbing a Wells Fargo branch located on Archer Road in Gainesville, Florida.
According to court documents, the incident took place on August 27, 2025. Johnson entered the bank and handed a note to a teller stating: “This is no joke, it is an armed bank robbery. All of the money now I am armed.” He then took over $1,000 in cash before fleeing the scene. The Gainesville Police Department responded quickly and apprehended Johnson shortly after the robbery.
United States Attorney John P. Heekin commented on the case: “Another successful prosecution under Operation Take Back America means one less violent criminal on our streets threatening our public safety. Great work by the Gainesville Police Department to quickly apprehend this offender, and great work by my office to aggressively prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law.”
Johnson could face up to 50 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 28, 2026. The sentencing will take place at 2:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Gainesville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt is prosecuting the case.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide effort by the Department of Justice aimed at addressing illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and reducing violent crime.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices across the country that represent federal interests under direction from the Attorney General. More information about this office can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
