An Ocala woman has pleaded guilty to robbing a bank in Marion County earlier this year. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced that Christina Gates Thagard, 40, entered her plea on a charge of bank robbery and faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for January 20, 2026.
According to court documents, Thagard entered the bank on May 3, 2025, wearing a hat, hoodie, sunglasses, a surgical mask, and one latex glove. She told the teller: “This is a robbery!” Thagard instructed the teller to put money in her bag and claimed she had a gun and would use it if necessary. She also handed over a note stating: “This is a robbery I have a gun and will shoot if any alarms or dye packs are inclosed [sic] fill this bag with all at least 50 k big bills only wait 2 mins to call police.” The teller complied by placing $5,075 from her drawer as well as a tracking device into Thagard’s purse.
Law enforcement used information from the tracking device to quickly locate Thagard and her vehicle. Officers recovered the stolen cash, the tracking device, and clothing items used during the robbery from inside the vehicle. Forensic analysis confirmed that Thagard’s fingerprints were found both on the demand note and on an interior door of the bank.
The investigation was conducted by the Ocala Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg is prosecuting the case.
The prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative using Department of Justice resources to address illegal immigration issues, eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and combat violent crime through coordinated efforts with programs like Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
