A federal judge on Tuesday, Oct. 13, sentenced Cameron Len Gaunt, 43, to 12 years in prison for robbing a Wenatchee bank in September 2025 – his seventh federal bank robbery, committed just two months after he walked out of federal prison. U.S. District Court Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed the 144-month term, plus three years of supervised release, in Spokane.
TL;DR: Cameron Len Gaunt, 43, was sentenced Oct. 13 by Judge Mary K. Dimke to 144 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for robbing the Cashmere Valley Bank in Wenatchee on Sept. 12, 2025. Gaunt had been released from Bureau of Prisons custody just two months earlier, on July 2, 2025, after prior federal bank robbery convictions – and was already violating his supervised release when he struck again. He handed a teller a note demanding “$30K cash. No dye packs. No exploding bags,” then complained he was “not going back to prison for such a small amount” after being given bait bills, netting $2,462. Police identified him from surveillance footage by his distinctive face and neck tattoos. Four days later, a teller at another bank recognized him and triggered an alarm, leading to his arrest. The robbery was his seventh federal bank robbery across Washington’s Eastern and Western Districts.
The robbery: “$30K cash. No dye packs. No exploding bags.”
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, Gaunt entered the Cashmere Valley Bank branch in Wenatchee on Sept. 12, 2025, and handed the teller a note: “$30K cash. No dye packs. No exploding bags.” The teller initially handed over roughly $100 in bait bills – marked money designed to aid identification.
That wasn’t enough. After Gaunt demanded more, remarking to the effect that he was “not going back to prison for such a small amount,” the teller surrendered the remaining cash in the drawer, totaling $2,462.
Caught by tattoos – and a teller who remembered his face
Wenatchee Police Department officers responding to the robbery quickly reviewed surveillance footage and identified Gaunt by his distinctive face and neck tattoos, the Justice Department said.
Four days later, on Sept. 16, 2025, Gaunt walked into another local bank. A teller there recognized him from the prior robbery and activated the alarm. Officers arrived and arrested Gaunt without incident.
Out of prison for two months
Gaunt had only recently regained his freedom. According to court records, he had been released from Bureau of Prisons custody on July 2, 2025, following prior federal bank robbery convictions. When he robbed the Cashmere Valley Bank two months later, he was already in violation of his supervised release conditions.
He had also failed to report to a required residential reentry center after his last bank robbery conviction – skipping a step designed to ease his return to the community before he committed his seventh federal bank robbery.
A two-decade record: seven bank robberies and counting
Gaunt’s criminal history spans more than 20 years. The Justice Department said it includes multiple convictions for forgery, burglary, drug offenses, firearm possession, conspiracy to pass counterfeit notes, and six prior bank robberies in the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington. The September 2025 robbery was his seventh federal bank robbery.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Dimke emphasized Gaunt’s repeated refusal to comply with court orders, the danger posed by his pattern of bank robberies, and the need for significant deterrence. The court also ordered three years of supervised release to follow his 12 years behind bars.
Officials: a message to career criminals
“Bank robbery is a crime that terrorizes employees, disrupts communities, and endangers the public,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Pete Serrano, who announced the sentence. “Gaunt has repeatedly demonstrated that he will not abide by the law or the conditions of supervision placed upon him. Today’s sentence reflects both the seriousness of his conduct and his long history of violent recidivism.”
“Even after convictions for seven bank robberies, among a long list of other crimes spanning over two decades, Mr. Gaunt still has not learned his lesson,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “We hope this sentence sends a strong message to him, and to other career criminals: the FBI and our partners remain dedicated to combating violent crime in its many forms and to keeping our Washington communities safe.”
Chelan County Prosecutor Robert Sealby praised the federal-state partnership: “Their work secured a significant federal sentence that holds the defendant accountable and protects the people of Chelan County.”
The investigation and the case
The case was investigated by the Wenatchee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison L. Gregoire of the Eastern District of Washington. Federal case numbers 2:25-CR-00147-MKD and 2:25-CR-00168-MKD were associated with the proceedings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Cameron Gaunt?
Cameron Len Gaunt, 43, of Wenatchee, Washington, is a career criminal with a two-decade record including forgery, burglary, drug offenses, firearm possession, conspiracy to pass counterfeit notes, and seven federal bank robberies.
What was his sentence?
On Oct. 13, 2026, U.S. District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Gaunt to 144 months – 12 years – in federal prison, plus three years of supervised release, for robbing the Cashmere Valley Bank in Wenatchee on Sept. 12, 2025.
How did the robbery happen?
Gaunt entered the bank and handed a teller a note demanding “$30K cash. No dye packs. No exploding bags.” The teller first gave him about $100 in bait bills; after Gaunt demanded more, saying he was “not going back to prison for such a small amount,” the teller surrendered the rest of the drawer – $2,462 in total.
How was he caught?
Police identified him from surveillance footage by his distinctive face and neck tattoos. Four days after the robbery, he walked into another local bank, where a teller recognized him from the prior robbery and activated the alarm. Officers arrived and arrested him without incident.
How many bank robberies has he committed?
The September 2025 heist was his seventh federal bank robbery, following six prior bank robbery convictions in the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington.
Why is this sentence significant?
Gaunt had been released from federal prison only two months earlier, on July 2, 2025, and was already violating his supervised release when he struck again. The judge emphasized his repeated refusal to comply with court orders and the need for deterrence.
Who investigated the case?
The Wenatchee Police Department and the FBI investigated the robbery. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison L. Gregoire of the Eastern District of Washington.
