Oklahoma City Man Convicted in Two-Month Bank Robbery Spree

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday afternoon, a federal jury found DWAYNE EDWARD RASMUSSEN, 55, of Oklahoma City, guilty of committing three bank robberies in Oklahoma City and Chickasha, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.

According to evidence at trial, Rasmussen robbed three banks in the course of two months: on March 5, 2019, he robbed the Weokie Credit Union at 2727 Southwest 15th Street in Oklahoma City; on March 18, 2019, he robbed the Bank of the West at 1600 Southwest 89th Street in Oklahoma City; and on April 30, 2019, he robbed the Community Bank of Oklahoma at 1227 West Grand Avenue in Chickasha.  Mark Drew Wilson, Rasmussen’s accomplice for the robberies, testified to driving the getaway vehicle and the preparation for each robbery.  Evidence further showed that in each of the robberies, Rasmussen wore gloves and disguised his appearance to avoid apprehension.  Trial evidence from bank surveillance video and identifications by bank employees tied Rasmussen to each bank robbery.  In the robberies, Rasmussen used the same terminology demanding "100s and 50s," and threatened "That’s not enough.  Give me all your money."  During the trial, nine bank employees and one bank customer testified about the use or intimation of a dangerous weapon during the commission of the bank robberies. 

The trial lasted six days, and the jury deliberated approximately nine hours before finding Rasmussen guilty of three counts of bank robbery.  He was acquitted on one additional bank-robbery count.  

At sentencing, Rasmussen faces a maximum potential penalty on each of the bank robbery counts of twenty years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and mandatory restitution.  If, however, the court determines his criminal history includes two or more serious violent felonies, he could be subject to mandatory life in prison.

Last November, Mark Drew Wilson pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit bank robbery.  Wilson is currently awaiting sentencing, where he faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and restitution to four banks.

This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI—Oklahoma City Field Office and Laboratory Division in Quantico, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Yukon Police Department, and the Chickasha Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wilson D. McGarry and Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.