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Press Release

Texas Man Sentenced For Wichita Bank Robbery

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Kansas

WICHITA, KAN. – A Texas man has been sentenced for robbing a Wichita bank, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Lessie B. Cooper, Jr., 34, Fort Worth, Texas, was sentenced to 112 months in federal prison. Cooper pleaded guilty to the March 16, 2012, robbery of the Commerce Bank branch at 1701 S. Broadway in Wichita.

In his plea, Cooper admitted his brother, co-defendant Justin Cooper, drove him to the bank. Once inside, Lessie Cooper jumped over the counter and pointed a loaded rifle at the tellers. As he left the bank and was getting into the car a dye pack exploded, attracting the attention of a police officer sitting in her patrol car nearby. Police pursued Cooper’s car until it stopped at the intersection of Clark and Silver streets. Justin Cooper surrendered there, but Lessie Cooper fled on foot. Police eventually found him hiding under a bed in a residence in the 2100 block of South Silver.

Justin Cooper pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a bank robbery and was sentenced 92 months in federal prison.

Grissom commended the Wichita Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case.

Updated December 15, 2014

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