‘Puffy Coat Bandit’ Suspect Pleads Not Guilty

The man suspected of being the “Puffy Coat Bandit,” a bank robber caught on video surveillance robbing seven southland banks in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, pleaded not guilty to federal charges Monday.

Steven Dwayne Paulson, 46, was indicted on seven counts of bank robbery Wednesday, according to FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller.

A police detective stopped and arrested Paulson Jan. 10 in Upland because he matched the description of the bank robbery suspect.

According to Eimiller, the suspect wore a puffy ski jacket in at least one of his bank heists, earning him the moniker.

In other holdups, he wore a plaid jacket and a baseball cap or a knit beanie, Eimiller said.
Paulson was indicted on bank robbery charges for the following heists:

-- Dec. 20 at a U.S. Bank branch in Chino;

 -- Dec. 22 at Premier Service Bank in Corona;

-- Dec. 28 at Mission Oaks Bank in Lake Elsinore;

-- Dec. 30 at ;

-- Jan. 3 at Chase Bank in Cerritos;

-- Jan. 7 at the same U.S. Bank robbed in Chino on Dec. 20; and

-- Jan. 9 at a Comerica Bank in Rancho Cucamonga.

Paulson’s trial is set for March 20.

- City News Service contributed to this report.