Des Moines Man Convicted Of Three Bank Robberies And Firearms Charges
DES MOINES, Iowa - On December 14, 2007, after a three-day trial, Michael Carlos Cooper Wiest, age 19, of Des Moines, was found guilty by a Southern District of Iowa Jury, of robbing three financial institutions in the Des Moines, Iowa area, and three firearm charges, announced United States Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker. United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey scheduled a sentencing status conference for Wiest on March 13, 2007.
Wiest was convicted of robbing the Affinity Credit Union on December 18, 2006, Liberty Bank, December 20, 2006, and Financial Plus Credit Union on December 22, 2006. Wiest was also convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, after evidence proved his use of a firearm during all three financial institution robberies. The charges each carry a penalty of up to twenty years incarceration, and the firearm charge carries a minimum prison sentence of seven years for the first firearm conviction, and twenty-five years each for the additional convictions. By statute, the sentence for the firearm charge must run consecutive to the sentence on the financial institution robberies.
Witnesses at the three robberies were unable to identify Wiest as the bank robber because of the clothing he wore to conceal his identity. Wiest was arrested in the Sheldon, Iowa, at the home of some acquaintances, by Sheldon Police Chief, Lyle Bolkema. Some of the clothing used in the robberies and a firearm was recovered during the arrest. Wiest had made statements that he was headed to Canada.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Des Moines Police Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Sheldon Police Department.