Tucson Bank Robber Sentenced to Over 18 Years in Federal Prison

     TUCSON, Ariz. – On April 8, 2019, Shad Richard Thompson, 43, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to serve 222 months (18.5 years) in prison and pay $4,784 in restitution. Thompson was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery following a jury trial.  Thompson’s term of imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release.

     On Oct. 5, 2017, Thompson and a co-defendant planned and executed the robbery of Pyramid Federal Credit Union located on East Grant Road, in Tucson.  The pair used a demand note to commit the bank robbery, which the co-defendant wrote on a napkin while Thompson told her what to write. Thompson drove the co-defendant to the Credit Union, parked in a space hidden by bushes, and waited while the co-defendant went in to present the note demanding the Credit Union’s money. The co-defendant entered the Credit Union wearing Thompson’s t-shirt and hat while carrying a brown purse that Thompson had instructed her to use to carry out the Credit Union’s money. After presenting the demand note and receiving $4,784 from the teller, the co-defendant departed the Credit Union, got back in the car with Thompson, and the pair drove off. Thompson and the co-defendant fled Arizona, but were later arrested in Wyoming.  Further investigation revealed that Thompson had been involved in multiple prior bank robberies.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tucson. The prosecution was handled by Lori L. Price and Erica L. Seger, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-17-01732-TUC-JGZ

RELEASE NUMBER:    2019-049_Thompson