A former guard at an Antelope Valley bank branch is expected to plead guilty Wednesday to a federal charge alleging she helped stage the armed robbery of $200,000 in cash from a customer.
Tyjana Grayes, 25, of Palmdale, has agreed to enter a plea in Los Angeles federal court to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery.
According to the indictment, in January 2024, a couple deposited a check for $315,301 into a Chase Bank branch in Palmdale. Bank employees informed the couple that they would have to come back to pick up the cash — as the bank did not have that large amount of currency. The bank employee told the couple they would contact them when they could pick up the cash, according to the indictment.
Grayes, who was then an armed guard working for a private security company hired by Chase Bank, allegedly learned of the planned cash pickup via another bank teller. Grayes informed co-defendants Jerry Wimbley and Roman Isaiah Smith about the pickup so they could rob the victims, prosecutors allege.
Federal prosecutors further allege that on Feb. 9, 2024, Wimbley and Smith drove to the Chase branch and waited in the parking lot for hours while the victims obtained $200,000 from the bank.
During work, Grayes sent a series of text messages and phone calls to a co-conspirator regarding the location of the victims when they arrived at the bank, prosecutors allege. The co-conspirator relayed the information to Wimbley and Smith, so they could prepare to rob the victims, federal prosecutors contend.
As the couple was leaving the bank with the cash, Wimbley and Smith exited their vehicle with semiautomatic handguns, threatened to shoot the victims, and stole the money, court papers allege.
From Feb. 10, 2024, through March 8, 2024, Wimbley laundered the money at a local casino, according to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint. Wimbley allegedly purchased about $34,500 in gambling chips and cashed out roughly $168,700. During five visits to the casino, Wimbley is suspected of having cashed out about $89,700 without purchasing any chips.
In addition, on Sept. 18, 2024, Wimbley, a convicted felon, possessed a .40 caliber pistol and various types of ammunition, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Grayes, Wimbley Jr., 23, and Smith, 25, were charged in October 2024 in a seven-count federal grand jury indictment. Wimbley Jr. and Smith are awaiting trial dates.