Sugar Creek Man Charged with Bank Robbery

KANSAS CITY, MO—David M. Ketchmark, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Sugar Creek, Missouri man was charged in federal court today with robbing Metcalf Bank in Kansas City, Missouri.

Raymond F. Paris, 71, of Sugar Creek, was charged with bank robbery in a criminal complaint that was filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Missouri. Paris remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Tuesday, July 10, 2012.

According to an affidavit that was filed in support of today’s criminal complaint, Paris entered Metcalf Bank, 4668 Blue Ridge Blvd., on Thursday, July 5, 2012. While he was standing at the teller counter, Paris allegedly pulled a mask (a nylon stocking with holes) down over his face. Paris allegedly approached the teller counter and pulled two large manila folders from under his shirt. He handed one of the folders to the teller in front of him and tossed the other folder to another teller, the affidavit says, stating, “Why don’t you fill that up.”

When one of the tellers hesitated, Paris allegedly said, “What do you think this is?” while he lifted up his shirt. The teller did not see a gun, the affidavit says, but assumed there must have been one there. According to the affidavit, Paris later told law enforcement officers that he had a BB gun in his waistband. One of the tellers was able to activate a silent alarm. The tellers put a total of $8,497 in the envelopes and gave them to Paris, who left the bank.

Kansas City police officers located Paris at his residence in Sugar Creek later the same day and surrounded the house. Paris, who refused to come out of the house, asked for a cigarette, and officers placed it on the deck outside. When Paris went to get the cigarette he was placed into custody.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the FBI.