n Ocala woman faces up to 20 years in federal prison after admitting she robbed a Marion County bank last spring — a crime solved within minutes thanks to a hidden GPS tracker.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced that 40-year-old Christina Gates Thagard pleaded guilty to bank robbery. According to court filings, Thagard walked into the bank on May 3, 2025, heavily disguised in a hoodie, sunglasses, a surgical mask, and a single latex glove. She approached the teller and declared:
She then handed over a handwritten note threatening violence if alarms were triggered. The note claimed she was armed, demanded “at least 50k big bills,” and instructed the teller to wait two minutes before alerting police.
The teller complied, placing $5,075 in Thagard’s purse — along with a GPS tracking device.
The getaway didn’t last long. Ocala Police officers used the tracker to pinpoint Thagard’s vehicle. Inside, they found the stolen cash, the device, and the clothing worn during the robbery. Forensic investigators later matched her fingerprints to the demand note and a door inside the bank.
The case was investigated jointly by the Ocala Police Department and the FBI. Thagard is scheduled for sentencing on January 20, 2026.