Digital Forensics Dispatch

Digital Evidence Assists In The Conviction of Bank Robber Who Used a Fake Bomb

April 20, 2021

The Western District of Oklahoma U.S. Attorney’s Office recently published a release about a Lawton, OK man who has been convicted in relation to a bank robbery that involved a fake bomb. The press release dated April 15, 2021 states “a federal jury in Oklahoma City found John Scott Brooks guilty of bank robbery involving a fake bomb.”

Digital evidence used at the trial helped to find Brooks guilty of the crime. Among the evidence used at trial was the bank’s security camera footage which showed the vehicle and the driver who had pulled up to the drive-through teller lane where the fake bomb was put in the teller drawer. A forensic examiner from the FBI conducted an image comparison analysis of the vehicle. The investigators also discovered that Brooks had tried to erase data from his cellphone. There were also multiple witnesses called in at trial who testified to a still photo of the surveillance footage, stating that they recognized the man depicted as Brooks.

The trial lasted two days and Brooks was found guilty by the jury after two hours of deliberation on one count of bank robbery. Brooks was acquitted on the count of making a bomb threat. The sentence that Brooks faces is up to 25 years in prison with three years of supervised release, mandatory restitution and a $250,000 fine. Brooks was arrested on April 2, 2020 and has been in custody since then.

Email:    Phone: 703.359.0700
Digital Forensics/Cybersecurity/Information Technology
https://senseient.com/services/digital-forensics

The Western District of Oklahoma U.S. Attorney’s Office recently published a release about a Lawton, OK man who has been convicted in relation to a bank robbery that involved a fake bomb. The press release dated April 15, 2021 states “a federal jury in Oklahoma City found John Scott Brooks guilty of bank robbery involving a fake bomb.”

Digital evidence used at the trial helped to find Brooks guilty of the crime. Among the evidence used at trial was the bank’s security camera footage which showed the vehicle and the driver who had pulled up to the drive-through teller lane where the fake bomb was put in the teller drawer. A forensic examiner from the FBI conducted an image comparison analysis of the vehicle. The investigators also discovered that Brooks had tried to erase data from his cellphone. There were also multiple witnesses called in at trial who testified to a still photo of the surveillance footage, stating that they recognized the man depicted as Brooks.

The trial lasted two days and Brooks was found guilty by the jury after two hours of deliberation on one count of bank robbery. Brooks was acquitted on the count of making a bomb threat. The sentence that Brooks faces is up to 25 years in prison with three years of supervised release, mandatory restitution and a $250,000 fine. Brooks was arrested on April 2, 2020 and has been in custody since then.

Email:    Phone: 703.359.0700
Digital Forensics/Cybersecurity/Information Technology
https://senseient.com/services/digital-forensics