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U.S. Agents Hunt Escapee Suspected in Bank Holdup

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Times Staff Writer

A federal prison escapee suspected of robbing a Bank of America branch in Fountain Valley on Tuesday is the subject of an intensive manhunt by the FBI and U.S. marshals.

Manuel Garcia Bracamonte, 33, who was serving a 25-year prison term in the federal prison at Lompoc, was photographed by surveillance cameras Tuesday at the bank at 16192 Harbor Blvd.--the same branch he allegedly robbed in 1986, said FBI spokesman Bucky Cox.

Bank spokesman Tom Chapman said the robber got $3,200.

Bracamonte, of Los Angeles County, was charged with 14 bank robberies between September and November, 1986, five of which occurred in Orange County, Cox said. He was convicted of four.

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Bracamonte escaped from Lompoc on April 21 with inmate Albert Gudino, Deputy U.S. Marshal Mark Pirtle said. The two prisoners were working in the kitchen and hid in boxes which were taken outside the gates on a forklift.

“When they got into the area where the trucks were supposed to pick them up, they popped out of the boxes and ran toward the trees,” Pirtle said. “Gudino, an older man with bad knees, only made it about 100 yards before he fell to the ground.” Gudino is “an old escape artist” and may have purposely acted as a decoy to ensure Bracamonte’s escape, Pirtle said.

Bracamonte often carried a .38-caliber revolver in his waistband and should be considered dangerous, Pirtle said.

Bracamonte is “big into heroin,” Pirtle said. FBI spokesman Cox said, “I certainly anticipate he’ll try to rob another bank.”

Anyone with information should call the FBI at (213) 477-6565 or the U.S. Marshal’s Service at (213) 894-2485.

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