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Former Florida deputy indicted over Ocala bank robbery

Christina Gates Thagard faces bank robbery charges

Christina Gates Thagard, 40, being arrested Saturday, May 3, 2025 in Ocala. (Ocala Police Department)

OCALA, Fla. – A 40-year-old Ocala woman accused of robbing a bank in Ocala has been formally indicted.

On Thursday, Interim U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Gregory Kehoe announced that a grand jury has returned an indictment against Christina Gates Thagard, charging her with bank robbery.

If convicted, Thagard, who used to be a Marion County sheriff’s deputy, could face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

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According to the indictment, Thagard took money from TD Bank on May 3 through the use of force, violence, and intimidation.

Minutes later, she was arrested during a traffic stop on Southwest College Road, according to a news release.

Dashcam video shared by the police department showed Thagard’s arrest.


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