Oakland man sentenced to federal prison for robbing banks

OAKLAND — A 32-year-old Oakland man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for robbing one East Bay bank in late 2023 and another in early 2024, prosecutors said.

Naikano Tuipulotu pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery on Feb. 28, 2025, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Citing the plea agreement, prosecutors said he admitted that on Oct. 23, 2023, he robbed a bank in San Leandro by passing a note to a teller that read, “I have a gun give me the money.”

After the teller gave Tuipulotu $210 in cash, he demanded all the money in the bank’s vault, prosecutors said. The teller said she did not have access to the vault, and he left the bank.

On Jan. 6, 2024, Tuipulotu robbed a bank in Fremont of $1,370 by passing a note that read, “This is a robbery. I have a gun. Give me all the money,” prosecutors said.

He was arrested the following month and initially charged with just one count of bank robbery.

An affidavit attached to the criminal complaint linked him to three bank robberies and two attempted bank robberies, which happened between Oct. 23, 2023, and Jan. 13, 2024.

Tuipulotu’s fingerprints were found on the notes, which were left at the scene, according to the affidavit.

In addition to the five-year prison term, a judge ordered Tuipulotu to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution. He was immediately remanded into custody.