‘This is a robbery’: Indy man gets 20 years for series of armed bank heists

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man has been sentenced to two decades in prison after being convicted in a series of armed robberies throughout the city last year.

Evan Chaffin, 43, was sentenced Monday to 20 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. Chaffin was found guilty on two counts of felony armed robbery earlier this month in Marion Superior Court 27.

The sentencing stems from two armed robberies at Indy banks that occurred in April 2024.

Fifth Third Bank robbery

Indianapolis Metro police officers were called around 11 a.m. on April 13, 2024, to the Fifth Third Bank location at 6071 E. 82nd Street for a robbery. Special Agents and FBI crews were later called to the scene after a robbery was confirmed.

Police spoke with an employee who said that a male had walked into the bank with a black handgun pointed in the air and said, “This is a robbery.” He also reportedly said, “Give me all your money and till.”

As the employee was pulling money from the drawer, she said the suspect made a comment about how his “gang” would come back soon if she didn’t cooperate. The bank said the employee then put $2,666 into a plastic bag and handed it to the suspect, who fled on foot.

The employee described the suspect as a slender white male between 5’9″ and 6 feet tall. He reportedly had a “European accent” and was wearing a hat, a black and yellow bandana and a yellow and black flannel shirt with black pants.

While officers were unable to track down the man responsible in the area once they arrived, another robbery would soon occur with a similar suspect.

Regions Bank robbery

IMPD officers were called around 9:30 a.m. on April 19, 2024, to the Regions Bank on W. 86th Street in reference to a robbery. Once again, Special Agents and FBI crews were also called.

A bank employee told officers that a white male had walked up to the teller window while carrying a plastic bag and a black handgun.

“This is a robbery, keep your eyes on me,” the man reportedly said. “No dye packs or tracker or else my friends will be back.”

Regions Bank officials said they lost $3,706 after the employee handed over the cash to the suspect.

Investigation

Officers reviewed photos of the suspect from both banks and watched surveillance footage from nearby businesses to familiarize themselves with the man. A department-wide email was sent out showing the man.

Then, on April 20, 2024, an IMPD officer patrolling the area near 86th Street and Michigan Road saw a white man who appeared to match the suspect’s description. The officer said he stopped the man and asked if he could speak with him.

After initially giving the officer a fake name, the man was eventually identified as Evan Chaffin. Officers soon learned Chaffin had an active warrant for public intoxication and resisting law enforcement.

Police say they then searched Chafffin and found a black Taurus 9mm handgun in his right jacket pocket and $2,750 in cash in his left jacket pocket. They also reportedly found $365 in his wallet.

Court documents detail how, during the encounter with the officer, Chaffin was wearing the “exact same” black shoes that the robbery suspect had. Police later searched a hotel room Chaffin was staying in and found the following:

• Sig Sauer P238 gun
• Sig Sauer Elite Defense ammo
• A Meijer plastic bag similar to the one used in the Regions Bank robbery
• A bandana similar to the one worn during the robberies
• A black t-shirt that the suspect was seen wearing shortly after the first robbery

Video footage from the hotel also showed that he left the lobby around 8:19 a.m. on the day of the Regions Bank robbery. In the video, he was seen wearing the exact outfit worn by the robbery suspect an hour later.

Arrest, aftermath

When asked by officers why he was carrying so much cash on him when stopped, Chaffin reportedly said it was his “life savings.” After requesting an attorney when asked about the robberies, Chaffin was placed under arrest for armed robbery and booked into jail.

After being delayed at least seven times, a jury trial in Chaffin’s case began on June 3 in front of Judge Angela D. Davis. The next day, on June 4, Chaffin was found guilty of two counts of armed robbery – a level 3 felony.

Then, on Monday, June 23, Chaffin was sentenced to 10 years in prison for each count, totalling a 20-year sentence.