Fresno bank robbery suspect tied to armed carjacking, hoax shooting call at Bullard High, police say

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A man who was arrested for a crime spree spanning from Madera to Fresno on Tuesday afternoon is an actor and former Army chaplain, according to a soldier who served with him.

Just before 1 pm, investigators say 42-year-old Marcus Banks-Bey of Sacramento used an airsoft pistol to steal an AT&T van from an employee at the Riverwalk business complex in Madera.

Authorities say the driver was pepper sprayed by Banks-Bey after taking the weapon away from him.

Shortly after the carjacking, officials say Banks-Bey called 911 to report that a man with a gun had just walked onto the campus of Bullard High School.

RELATED: Suspect arrested after robbing bank in northeast Fresno

About 20 minutes later, police say Banks-Bey robbed Central Valley Community Bank on Fresno Street near Friant Road.

Officers say they believe Banks-Bey called in the hoax shooting at the school as a diversion as he robbed the bank.

The stolen van was tracked down near Lexington Avenue and Audubon Drive and Banks-Bey was arrested a short time later.

"When I first saw it, I honestly thought it was something from (his) acting. So, I dug in, I saw the news article there on ABC," said Jason Young.

Young says he served with Banks-Bey, who was a captain at the time, in the US Army.

He told Action News that Banks-Bey is now an author and an actor.

"As we know him, Chaplain Banks-Bey was deployed with us in 2017 to the country of Jordan, where we performed a combat tour," explained Young.

Banks-Bey has been booked into the Fresno County Jail on charges related to robbery and making a false police report.

He will also face felony carjacking charges in Madera County.

His bail has been set at just over $130,000.

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