Coral Gables attorney faces charges for several bank robberies in Miami-Dade

Aaron Honaker goes from ‘brilliant’ attorney to FBI’s serial bank robbery suspect

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – A 41-year-old Coral Gables attorney is facing federal charges for a series of bank robberies and attempted bank robberies in Coral Gables and Aventura.

FBI agents identified the suspect on Wednesday as Aaron Honaker. Coral Gables police officers arrested him during an attempted bank robbery on Tuesday night, FBI agents said, adding that the ongoing investigation also involves the Aventura Police Department.

FBI agents are accusing Aaron Patrick Honaker, a Coral Gables attorney, of robbing several banks in Miami-Dade County. (FBI and Florida Bar)

According to Wake Forest University Law School’s registrar office, Honaker received his Juris Doctor degree there on Dec. 10, 2005. State records show he was admitted to the Florida Bar on Jan. 31, 2008, and is a member in good standing.

At the beginning of his career, Honaker was recruited by a top international law firm in Brickell and he worked there for about three years. Colleagues at boutique firms in Coral Gables described him as a “highly intelligent” and “brilliant” attorney who is “disciplined” and “sharp.”

“I have no explanation as to how he got to this point,” a former colleague said.

The FBI released this image from surveillance video at a Wells Fargo Bank in Coral Gables. FBI agents identified the suspect as Aaron Patrick Honaker, a Coral Gables attorney. (FBI)

In several professional online profiles, Honaker described himself as a litigator in “all matters related to corporate and commercial relationships." His experience includes implementing a plan of reorganization through a $1.6 billion equity infusion transaction with Merrill Lynch, now Bank of America.

The Florida Bar and a Linkedin profile list Honaker as a Duke Law School graduate, but a spokesman for the university said on Wednesday afternoon that there is no registrar record of him ever being a student there.

Attorney Aaron Honaker was arrested in December for battery in Miami-Dade County. (MDDOC)

On Dec. 10, 2019, officers arrested Honaker for battery after a domestic violence call. He completed pre-trial release conditions and the court issued a discharge certificate on Jan. 8, 2020. About eight months later, FBI agents accused Honaker of targeting four banks in Coral Gables and one in Aventura during a two-week crime spree.

According to Coral Gables Police Chief Edward Hudak, Sgt. Ted Nguyen spotted Honaker on Tuesday outside of a bank in downtown Coral Gables and arrested him before he could “strike again.” Officer Robert Alonso attributed the arrest to Detective Nguyen’s years of experience.

These are the banks a Coral Gables attorney is accused of targeting, according to the FBI. (Local 10 News)

The banks in Coral Gables are the Citibank branch at 396 Alhambra Circle targeted on Sept. 30; a Wells Fargo Bank branch at 2555 Ponce De Leon Blvd. targeted on Oct. 5; the Chase Bank branch at 355 Alhambra Circle targeted on Oct. 10; and the HSBC Bank branch at 2222 Ponce De Leon Blvd. targeted on Oct. 15.

The bank in Aventura is the Chase Bank branch at 20880 Biscayne Blvd., which Honaker is accused of targeting on Oct. 3.

FBI releases photos from Coral Gables bank robbery

FBI agents are asking anyone with information about the bank robberies to call 754-703-2000.

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About the Authors:

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

Liane Morejon is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined the Local 10 News family in January 2010. Born and raised in Coral Gables, Liane has a unique perspective on covering news in her own backyard.