NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

MATT J. WHITWORTH

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

MAY 4, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INDEPENDENCE MAN PLEADS GUILTY

TO BANK ROBBERY

ALSO ADMITS ROBBING CREDIT UNION

            KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Matt J. Whitworth, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Independence, Mo., man admitted in federal court today that he robbed both a bank and a credit union in Independence within the same week during November 2008.

            Jimmy Lee Bozeman, 48, of Independence, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan this morning to the charge contained in a Dec. 15, 2008, federal indictment.

            Bozeman pleaded guilty bank robbery. Bozeman admitted that he stole $7,031 from United Missouri Bank, 16900 Gudgell Road, on Nov. 17, 2008. After Bozeman fled from the bank, a confidential source led the police to a residence in Independence. Independence police officers talked Bozeman and a female out of the residence and Bozeman was arrested. Bozeman then told the police where they could find the money stolen in the bank robbery, and they located a plastic bag of money totaling $6,595 hidden in the basement.

            Bozeman also admitted that he stole $4,319 from Community American Credit Union, located inside the Hy-Vee grocery store at 1525 E. 23^rd St., on Nov. 11, 2008. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, that count of the indictment will be dismissed at the sentencing hearing, but Bozeman will pay restitution to Community American Credit Union and the court may consider that criminal activity as relevant conduct in calculating a sentence.

            Under federal statutes, Bozeman is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000 and an order of restitution. 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 Christina Y. Tabor. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.

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www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html