Press Releases
BANK ROBBER PLEADS GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT
June 24, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DAMION BARNES, a/k/a “TURK,” age 29, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court on Wednesday before U. S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr. to one count of bank robbery, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to court documents, BARNES admitted that on August 8, 2005 at 10:36 A.M., BARNES attempted to exchange a Mexican peso at the Omni National Bank on Citrus Boulevard, Harahan, Louisiana. BARNES was advised that the bank no longer exchanged foreign currency, and he left the bank. Later that same day at approximately 11:15 A.M., BARNES entered the Whitney National Bank located on Jefferson Highway in Harahan, Louisiana where he slid a bank teller a paper bag across the counter which had a Mexican peso on top of it. BARNES then produced a crumbled white piece of paper which stated, “I have a gun don’t play no games with me put the money in the bag and you wont be hurt.” The bank teller pressed the bank’s hold-up alarm button and placed $1080.00 and a dye pack inside the paper bag and gave it to BARNES. As BARNES left the bank in a stolen truck, the dye pack ignited from inside the vehicle.
BARNES faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of $250,000.00, and three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Liz Privitera of the Violent Crime Unit.
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