Chris Jones and Kezia Dover Sentenced to Prison for Their Roles in Johnson City Eastman Credit Union Robbery

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Two individuals have been sentenced for their roles in the April 2016 robbery of the Eastman Credit Union (credit union) in Johnson City, Tennessee.  On August 16, 2018, Kezia Dover, 37, of Johnson City, Tennessee, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison.  Chris Jones, 29, of Johnson City, Tennessee, was sentenced on August 27, 2018, to serve 98 months in federal prison.

In March 2017, a federal grand jury charged both Dover and Jones with conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery.  Jones was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  Dover pleaded guilty in April 2018 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank robbery.  Jones also pleaded guilty in April 2018 to conspiracy to commit bank robbery, bank robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to their plea agreements on file with U.S. District Court, Dover and Jones conspired to rob the credit union and split the proceeds. Dover drove Jones to the credit union in a borrowed vehicle and parked in a nearby parking lot.  Jones entered the credit union and gave the teller a note that said, “got BoomB NO Cop’s No Dye PACK’s Put MONey in Bag.”  He subsequently put a white bag on the counter, in which the teller placed money and handed it back to him.  Jones exited the building and departed in the vehicle that Dover was waiting in to drive them away.

On the day following the credit union robbery, Jones took possession of a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition, knowing he was not permitted to possess a firearm because of a prior felony conviction.   The following day Dover and Jones were involved in a high-speed pursuit by the police in which Dover lost control and crashed the vehicle that she and Jones occupied.  After the crash, Jones ran from the passenger side of the vehicle, carrying the firearm and ammunition.  He was pursued on foot by the police and eventually apprehended, still in possession of the firearm and ammunition.

These charges and subsequent sentencings were the result of an investigation by the FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Johnson City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney TJ Harker represented the United States in court proceedings.