“Fake Beard Bandit” Sentenced to 135 Months for Each of Seven Armed Bank Robberies in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas

FORT SMITH, AR—Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Jason Day, age 39 of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 135 months today for each of seven counts of armed bank robbery, one count of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery, to run concurrent. While dressed as the “Fake Beard Bandit,” Day robbed or attempted to rob nine banks in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. The sentence was handed down in U.S. District Court in Fort Smith, Arkansas before Chief U.S. District Judge P. K. Holmes, III.

Day was arrested within days of his August 23, 2011 robbery of Liberty Bank of Arkansas’ location on Old Greenwood Road in Fort Smith. After he was arrested, Day was identified as the individual in the other “Fake Beard Bandit” robbery surveillance photos. Other “Fake Beard Bandit” robberies perpetrated by Day include: First National Bank of Coweta in Oklahoma on May 26, 2011; Bank of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City (Pennsylvania Avenue Branch) on May 26, 2011; Bank of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City (Northwest Expressway Branch) on June 10, 2011; IBC Bank in Oklahoma City on June 29, 2011; Hometown Bank in Joplin, Missouri on July 13, 2011; Bank of Blue Valley in Shawnee, Kansas on July 25, 2011; Bank Midwest in Olathe, Kansas on August 3, 2011, and attempted robbery of River Town Credit Union in Fort Smith, Arkansas on July 22, 2011.

The cases against Day in the Western District of Oklahoma, the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the District of Kansas and the Western District of Missouri were all transferred to the Western District of Arkansas for simultaneous prosecution.

United States Attorney Eldridge commented, “Today, the “Fake Beard Bandit” was held accountable for terrorizing numerous customers and employees of banks across four states. We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who put innocent people in harm’s way in the course of armed robbery.”

Per court records, on August 23, 2011, a white male disguised with a fake beard, wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, entered the Liberty Bank of Arkansas on Old Greenwood Road in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The individual, later identified as the defendant, ordered a bank teller to put cash in a bag or he was “going to shoot.” The defendant carried what witnesses described as a black semi-automatic handgun and pointed it at two individuals working at the bank, who complied with the robber’s commands. Before leaving the bank, the defendant told everyone inside to lay on the ground for five minutes. He stated his partner outside the bank was watching and would shoot anyone who stood up.

Detective Story, with the Fort Smith Police Department, determined that the person who robbed the Liberty Bank of Arkansas was likely the “Fake Beard Bandit,” due to the same disguise, grey getaway vehicle and similar mannerisms as that of the individual who attempted to rob the River Town Credit Union in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on July 22, 2011. Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation learned that the “Fake Beard Bandit” was also a suspect in bank robberies in Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. According to investigative reports, the “Fake Beard Bandit”

would enter a bank wearing street clothes and would return to the bank later that same day wearing a disguise that included a fake beard. Surveillance videos and reports from “Fake Beard Bandit” bank robberies indicated that the vehicle driven by the robber was a grey Volkswagen Jetta with an Oklahoma license plate.

Day was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment for each count of armed bank robbery; bank robbery and attempted bank robbery counts, to run concurrent; and ordered to pay $70,500.00 in restitution and a $5,000 fine. The defendant will also be under supervised release for five years upon his release from prison.

This case was investigated by the Fort Smith Police Department; the Coweta, Oklahoma Police Department; the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Police Department; the Joplin, Missouri Police Department; the Olathe, Kansas Police Department; the Shawnee, Kansas Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. Assistant United States Attorney Kyra Jenner prosecuted the case for the United States.

‘Fake Beard Bandit’ Enters Guilty Plea to Seven Armed Bank Robberies in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas

FORT SMITH, AR—Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Jason Day pleaded guilty today to seven counts of armed bank robbery, one count of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery. Chief United States District Court Judge Paul K. Holmes accepted the guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Day faces up to 25 years’ imprisonment for each count of armed bank robbery and 20 years’ imprisonment each for the bank robbery and attempted bank robbery counts.

United States Attorney Eldridge commented, “We are dedicated to prosecuting crimes such as this that threaten our communities. The defendant in this case engaged in a string of robberies across four states. We will continue to work together to pursue individuals that engage in this type of criminal activity.”

Per court records, on August 23, 2011, a white male disguised with a fake beard, wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, entered the Liberty Bank of Arkansas on Old Greenwood Road in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The individual, later identified as the defendant, ordered a bank teller to put cash in a bag or he was “going to shoot.” The defendant carried what witnesses described as a black semiautomatic handgun and pointed it two individuals working at the bank, who complied with the robber’s commands. Before leaving the bank, the defendant told everyone inside the bank to lie on the ground for five minutes. He stated his partner outside the bank was watching and would shoot anyone who stood up.

Detective Story, with the Fort Smith Police Department, determined that the person who robbed the Liberty Bank of Arkansas was likely the “Fake Beard Bandit,” due to the same disguise, grey getaway vehicle, and similar mannerisms as that of the individual who attempted to rob the River Town Credit Union in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on July 22, 2011. Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation learned that the “Fake Beard Bandit” was also a suspect in bank robberies in Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas. According to investigative reports, the “Fake Beard Bandit” would enter a bank wearing street clothes and would return to the bank later that same day wearing a disguise that included a fake beard. Surveillance videos and reports from “Fake Beard Bandit” bank robberies indicated that the vehicle driven by the robber was a grey Volkswagen Jetta with an Oklahoma license plate.

A warrant for Day’s arrest was authorized by Chief United States Magistrate Judge James R. Marschewski on August 26, 2011 and the defendant was arrested at his residence in Tulsa, Oklahoma the same day. After he was arrested, Day was identified as the individual in the other “Fake Beard Bandit” robbery surveillance photos. Other “Fake Beard Bandit” robberies perpetrated by Day include: First National Bank of Coweta in Oklahoma on May 26, 2011; Bank of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City (Pennsylvania Avenue Branch) on May 26, 2011; Bank of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City (Northwest Expressway Branch) on June 10, 2011; IBC Bank in Oklahoma City on June 29, 2011; Hometown Bank in Joplin, Missouri on July 13, 2011; Bank of Blue Valley in Shawnee, Kansas on July 25, 2011; and Bank Midwest in Olathe, Kansas on August 3, 2011. The cases against Day in the Western District of Oklahoma, the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the District of Kansas and the Western District of Missouri were all transferred to the Western District of Arkansas for simultaneous prosecution.

This case was investigated by the Fort Smith Police Department, the Coweta, Oklahoma Police Department, the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Police Department, the Joplin, Missouri Police Department, the Olathe, Kansas Police Department, the Shawnee, Kansas Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas. Assistant United States Attorney Kyra Jenner prosecuted the case for the United States.

Arkansas Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Nearly $500,000 in Two Armed Bank Robberies, Faces 30 Years in Prison

SPRINGFIELD, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Fort Smith, Ark., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to two armed bank robberies in Springfield, Mo., and Joplin, Mo.

Robert Bruce Knepper, 45, of Fort Smith, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge James C. England to the charges contained in an April 7, 2011, federal indictment. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Knepper will be sentenced to 30 years in federal prison without parole.

By pleading guilty today, Knepper admitted that he robbed Liberty Bank in Springfield on March 29, 2010, and Great Southern Bank in Joplin on Sept. 16, 2010. Knepper also admitted that he used a loaded handgun, which he carried in a shoulder holster, to steal $80,000 from Liberty Bank. Knepper used a loaded Springfield Armory 9mm handgun to steal $404,350 from Great Southern Bank.

Knepper also pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm in furtherance of the Great Southern Bank robbery.

According to court documents, Knepper entered Liberty Bank, 210 N. W. Bypass, Springfield, at approximately 4:45 p.m. on March 29, 2010. He presented a note to a bank employee and demanded the bank manager give him cash from the bank’s vault. Knepper, who placed his hand on the pistol grip of the handgun, threatened several times to kill everyone in the bank. The manager placed $80,000 from the bank vault into a bank bag and gave the bag to Knepper. Knepper took the keys to the bank manager’s vehicle and fled in the manager’s car, which was abandoned about a mile away from the bank.

According to court documents, Knepper entered Great Southern Bank, 1232 S. Range Line Rd., Joplin, at 5 p.m. on Sept. 16, 2010. Knepper brandished a handgun, jumped over the teller counter, pointed the handgun at bank employees and demanded they open the vault.

On Feb. 13, 2011, a bag containing a handgun was found at a Red Lobster restaurant in Fort Smith. Police officers also found $166,000 in the bag, along with various hotel and car rental receipts. The receipts led officers to Knepper, who was staying at a Comfort Inn in Fort Smith, and he was arrested.

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 Robyn L. McKee. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department and the Fort Smith, Ark., Police Department.

Arkansas Man Charged with Armed Bank Robbery

SPRINGFIELD, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Fort Smith, Arkansas man was charged in federal court today with the armed robbery of Great Southern Bank in Joplin, Missouri.

Robert Bruce Knepper, 45, of Fort Smith, was charged with bank robbery in a federal criminal complaint that was filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Missouri. Knepper allegedly stole $404,350 at gunpoint from Great Southern Bank on Sept. 16, 2010.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Knepper entered Great Southern Bank,

1232 S. Range Line Rd., Joplin

, at 5 p.m. on Sept. 16, 2010. Knepper allegedly brandished a handgun, climbed over the teller counter, and ordered the bank employees to the floor. He then ordered the tellers to open the bank vault, the affidavit says, and placed money from the vault in a soft shell cooler. He allegedly removed money from some of the teller drawers as well.

On Feb. 13, 2011, a bag containing a handgun was found behind a Red Lobster restaurant in Fort Smith. Police officers also found $166,000 in the bag, along with various hotel and car rental receipts. The receipts led officers to Knepper, who was staying at a Comfort Inn in Fort Smith, and he was arrested.

Phillips cautioned that the charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Joplin, Missouri, Police Department and the Fort Smith, Arkansas, Police Department.

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