Robber Admits Dragging Employee by Hair During Bank Robbery in Overland Park

TOPEKA, KAN. - A Kansas City man pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal bank robbery charge and admitted threatening employees with a gun and dragging a woman by her hair, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

Clifton B. Cloyd, 54, Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during the robbery. On Oct. 29, 2014, he and another man robbed the Bank of America at 9500 Mission in Overland Park, Kan. In his plea, Cloyd admitted:

• He and his accomplice held five bank employees and one customer at gunpoint.
• Cloyd, who was carrying a handgun, grabbed one of the bank employees and pulled her by the hair and scarf to the teller station. He struck her in the face with a handgun.
• Cloyd struck a customer so hard her glasses flew off and she was knocked to the floor.
• Cloyd struck a male bank employee with such force that his head started bleeding.

Sentencing is set for Sept. 14. He faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and not more than 25 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the bank robbery charge, and a penalty of not less than seven years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge.

Co-defendant Steve A. Watts, 55, Mo., is awaiting trial.

Grissom commended the Overland Park Police Department, the Prairie Village Police Department, the Leawood Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel for their work on the case.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.