NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

BETH PHILLIPS

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

www.justice.gov/index.html

MAY 28, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TEXAS MAN CHARGED WITH SPRINGFIELD BANK ROBBERY

            SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Big Springs, Texas, man was charged in federal court today with robbing People’s Bank in Springfield, Mo.

            Clark Wayne Kirkman, 67, of Big Springs, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield.

            According to an affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Kirkman entered People’s Bank, 3000 W. Republic Rd., Springfield, at approximately 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, May 27, 2010. Kirkman handed a bag to the teller; he allegedly told her that his wife had been taken hostage, and that he and his wife would be killed if he didn’t rob the bank and return with money. The teller gave him $386 and Kirkman left the bank.

            At about 9:51 a.m. on the same day, the affidavit says, Kirkman entered the Commerce Bank at 2770 W. Republic, Springfield, which is located three blocks from People’s Bank. According to the affidavit, he again handed a bag to the teller; he allegedly told her that his wife had been taken hostage, and that he and his wife would be killed if he didn’t rob the bank and return with money. The teller gave him $227 and Kirkman left the bank.

            At approximately 9:30 p.m. that day, at a grocery store parking lot in Thayer, Mo., an Oregon County sheriff’s deputy recognized both Kirkman and his vehicle as matching the descriptions from the bank robberies and Kirkman was arrested.

            Phillips cautioned that the charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

            This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oregon County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Thayer, Mo., Police Department.

****************

This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at

http://www.justice.gov/index.html