The “Bag Trick Bandit” pleaded guilty April 13 to all bank robbery charges against him including two hold-ups at the same Midway Drive bank and another on Genesee Ave.
Jonathan Kevin McCant, 39, faces up to nine years in state prison in a plea agreement with San Diego Superior Court Judge Polly Shamoon, who set sentencing for June 6.
“He’s going to prison; it’s just a matter of how much,” said Deputy District Attorney Lucille Yturralde. The nickname came from when he put his hand in a bag before tellers in which he simulated having a gun.
McCant robbed the same teller on Jan. 8 and 22 at the U.S. Bank at 3645 Midway Drive. Court documents say the amount stolen in all the robberies was $12,138.
McCant also pleaded guilty to felony assault of another inmate in jail with a cane, said Yturralde. She said probation was ruled out.
McCant’s father was the Rev. Jerry McCant, a Nazarene minister who was a religion professor at Point Loma Nazarene University. In November 1990, when his son was 12 years old, his father gave published interviews when his son went missing for three weeks. Rev. McCant and friends distributed thousands of fliers with his photo in Ocean Beach and elsewhere. He said his son had run away from home once before for 24 hours. Rev. McCant described his son as emotionally disturbed. Photos of his son were released to the media. Rev. McCant died in a car accident in 2015. Jonathan McCant was arrested in the bank robbery series on Jan. 25 after he was spotted by police driving a stolen U-Hall truck on Linda Vista Road. He lost control of the truck on Friars Road and it hit a parked car. He ran into a riverbed area and police took him into custody with the help of a service dog.
McCant remains in jail without bail. He has prior convictions of auto theft and grand theft, according to court records.