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

APRIL 10, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KC MAN SENTENCED TO 64 YEARS IN PRISON

FOR THREE ARMED ROBBERIES

            KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Matt J. Whitworth, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in the armed robberies of two banks and a credit union.

             John L. Williams, 46, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ortrie D. Smith this morning to 64 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.

             On Oct. 17, 2008, Williams was found guilty at trial of three counts of armed robbery and three counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence. Williams was sentenced to seven years and eight months in prison for the three robbery convictions, followed by a consecutive sentence of 57 years for the three firearms convictions.

             Williams and four co-defendants stole $5,484 from U.S. Bank, 10201 Holmes, Kansas City, Mo., on July 21, 2007. Williams also stole $46,444 from United Catholic Credit Union, 7043 Blue Ridge Blvd., Raytown, Mo., in an armed robbery on May 21, 2007, and $13,334 from Union Bank, 222 W. Gregory, Kansas City, Mo., in an armed robbery on June 22, 2007.

             Four co-defendants have been sentenced after pleading guilty to their roles in the armed robbery of U.S. Bank. Marc K. Kindred, 44, of Kansas City, was sentenced to three years and two months in federal prison without parole. Herman Hampton, 39, of Kansas City, was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison without parole, as well as a consecutive sentence of two years in federal prison for violating the terms of his supervised release. Zaric D. Brown, 33, of Kansas City, was sentenced to two years in federal prison without parole. Diallo C. Pruitt, 38, of Kansas City, was sentenced to three years and four months in federal prison without parole.

             Williams, Kindred and Hampton ran into U.S. Bank at approximately 11:30 a.m. on July 21, 2007, shouting “Robbery! Robbery!” Williams pointed his gun at a teller while Kindred jumped over the teller counter and demanded he open his teller drawers and empty them into a pillow case. The robbers then ran from the bank. Police officers detained Kindred and Pruitt a few minutes later as they were seen leaving Williams’ residence. Officers discovered a pillow case containing cash hidden under a vehicle parked in the yard of Williams’ residence and a loaded handgun lying in the yard. Brown admitted that he cased the bank, entering the bank to ostensibly open an account, then communicated to other defendants that there was no guard inside the bank. Pruitt admitted that he drove a stolen vehicle that was used as the getaway car.

            This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce E. Clark and David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.