Plea deal in works for alleged ‘blond bandit’

The Northern Virginia woman dubbed the “blond bandit” for her role in a series of armed bank holdups last year is expected to plead guilty, according to court records. A Monday filing in federal court in Alexandria says a plea hearing is scheduled April 5 for Stephanie Schwab. Schwab, of Manassas, was arrested in November after a police chase on the Capital Beltway following a bank robbery in McLean. At the time, authorities had been on the lookout for her for two weeks in connection with a Prince William County bank robbery, as well as another bank heist and carjacking in Fairfax County. In Maryland, she was wanted in a Baltimore County carjacking. She has confessed to the crimes. according to court documents. Schwab was indicted last month on several counts of bank robbery and transporting a stolen vehicle.