CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Investigators say the man who robbed a Charlotte bank on Tuesday, and then led police on a high-speed chase, has a long criminal history in California.
Carlos Burns was stopped by state troopers on Interstate 85 in Gaston County after he allegedly robbed the Wachovia branch on West Sugar Creek Road in Charlotte.
"He was definitely a very active gang member," said Jose Arias, an assistant district attorney in Los Angeles.
Arias is well acquainted with Burns. He tried him four times between 2002 and 2004 on an attempted murder charge. The California Court of Appeals threw out the conviction.
"From what I recall this was a retaliation-type shooting," Arias said of the case. "When they attempt to kill an individual with a gun, they are very dangerous."
Part of the evidence used against the 29-year-old was photos seized from his Inglewood, Calif., home, which show him flashing gang signs, posing with known gang members and holding weapons.
Charlotte police don't know what brought Burns to North Carolina or how long he's been here. But, they say, it couldn't have been very long because he was arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly driving drunk on his birthday, which was Nov. 5.
Arias would not criticize the California Court of Appeals, but he said he doesn't believe that Burns should be out on the streets.
"The only thing I can say is I'm not surprised," he said.
Burns had his first appearance in a Mecklenburg County courtroom Wednesday afternoon. He was given a court-appointed attorney and a date for a bond hearing. Right now, his bond is set at $85,000.
