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SALT LAKE CITY — Federal criminal charges were filed Tuesday against a man police have nicknamed the "Bucket List Bandit," accusing him of being responsible for a string of bank, hotel and gas station robberies in Salt Lake County.
Scot Baker Wilcox, 54, was charged in U.S. District Court with a "Hobbs Act Robbery" — a federal offense for robberies that influence interstate commerce.
Police dubbed the man in surveillance images the "Bucket List Bandit" because of his age and graying hair. Wilcox was arrested at his Sandy home last week after investigators were tipped off by several people who said they recognized him in photos distributed to the media.
Tuesday's charges implicate Wilcox in two robberies. One occurred Oct. 2 at Cardwell Distributing/Sinclair gas station in Midvale, while the other happened at a U.S. Bank inside a Smith's grocery store in Sandy on Dec. 7, the complaint states.
"(Wilcox) produced a note which demanded $10,000 and threatened a gun. (He) told the clerk that he had worked in banks before and knew there was a bottom drawer," according to the complaint.
Police have previously police said Wilcox is suspected of also committing robberies at Hampton Inn in Sandy, Staybridge Suites in Midvale, a Wells Fargo inside a Fresh Market grocery store in Murray, and an American First Credit Union inside a Harmons in Draper.
- Hampton Inn, 10690 Holiday Park Dr., Sandy, on Nov. 4
- Staybridge Suites, 747 Blue Vista Lane, Midvale, on Nov. 9
- Wells Fargo inside Fresh Market, 5632 S. 900 East, Murray, on Nov. 10
- U.S. Bank inside Smith's, 10305 S. 1300 East, Sandy, on Dec. 7
- America First Credit Union inside Harmons, 672 E. 11400 South, Draper, about 15 minutes after the Sandy robbery on Dec. 7
Melodie Rydalch, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah, said the initial complaint filed in federal cases "typically does not include all the charges" because it acts only as a probable cause statement to obtain a federal arrest warrant.
"It is common that when a case is presented to a grand jury … additional charges would be added," she said.
Police hadn't publicly connected the Midvale gas station robbery with Wilcox until Tuesday's charges.
Investigators conducted a search of Wilcox's home and found a hat, hoodie, pants and a pair of shoes that he wore during his alleged robbery of the U.S. Bank, charging documents say.
"This clothing was located in a garbage bag in … Wilcox's bedroom along with other apparent garbage. It appeared these items were intended to be discarded in the trash," the complaint states.
Wilcox's criminal history in Utah is limited. It includes a 2006 misdemeanor conviction after a bench trial for having an animal at large.
Wilcox, who is currently in the Salt Lake County Jail, is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Thursday.
