KC Man Pleads Guilty to Botched Robbery at Grandview Auto Dealer

 Robbery Attempt Ended in Firefight with Owner, Shooting of Employee

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to the botched robbery of a Grandview, Mo., auto dealership that ended when he shot an employee while fleeing, after a shootout with the owner, who was also armed.

Lyndale E. Watson, also known as “Red, “Blood,” and “Stoni Blud,” 36, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to one count of attempted robbery and one count of carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

According to today’s plea agreement, Watson wore a scarf over his face when he walked into Pride Auto Sales, a car lot at 12800 S. US 78 Highway in Grandview, on Feb. 19, 2015. Watson asked an employee, identified in court documents as “M.M.,” about a car for sale. After the owner came to the front of the business, Watson pulled out a firearm, pointed the gun at the owner, and said, “Don’t move.”

The owner, already armed with a firearm, ran back to his office as Watson shot at him. The two engaged in a firefight. As Watson ran out of the business, he shot M.M. in the back as M.M. was trying to escape himself. M.M. was wounded but survived the shooting.

On Feb. 27, 2015, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Wallace’s residence and found a Hi-Point 9mm rifle, a plastic bag that contained 98 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and a .380-caliber Winchester round that matched the shell casings recovered from the auto dealership.

Watson said he carried out the attempted robbery at the behest of a friend formerly employed at Pride Auto Sales, who claimed to be owed money by the owner of the car lot.

Under federal statutes, Watson is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Grandview, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.