‘Snowboarder bandit’ sentenced for O.C. bank robberies

A man known as the “Snowboarder Bandit” was sentenced Friday to two years in state prison for robbing nine Orange County banks -- adding to the time he received last month of seven years and eight months in Riverside County.

Michael Brandon Franks of Riverside will serve the terms consecutively. He pleaded guilty last year in Orange County to a court offer to 10 felony counts of second-degree robbery and two felony counts of attempted second-degree robbery.

Then in February, Franks, 31, also pleaded guilty in Riverside County to four felony counts of burglary, three felony counts of robbery and two felony counts of attempted robbery.

Authorities say that from December 2011 through March 2012, Franks committed 10 robberies and two attempted robberies at nine Orange County banks. He would enter the location wearing a motorcycle helmet or beanie and sunglasses. Going right up to a teller, he would hand over a note saying he had a gun, demand money and walk out with the cash.

Irvine police arrested Franks at his home in Riverside on May 4, 2012. Officers from the department had been investigating the bank robberies along with police from Anaheim and Newport Beach, the FBI, and sheriff’s departments from Orange County and Riverside counties.

When law enforcement caught up to him, authorities said they found money fanned out in the passenger side of Franks’ car, part of a ripped demand note and several Band-Aids used to cover his fingertips.