Felon Sentenced After Robbing Bank and Taking a Rideshare Home

TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced today for Bank Robbery and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle sentenced Markell Demond Stanley, 29, to 120 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, a “hold up” alarm was triggered at a bank in Tulsa in April 2024. Responding, Tulsa Police officers spoke with several witnesses who provided a description of the armed suspect, later identified as Stanley. Nearby surveillance captured Stanley casing the area before the robbery and fleeing the area in the back of a vehicle. FLOCK cameras helped Tulsa Police narrow down the owner of the vehicle. When officers spoke with the owner, they explained that they were a rideshare driver. The owner described being approached by Stanley on foot and paid a cash tip for a ride to an apartment.

After Stanley was arrested, he admitted to robbing the bank. Stanley told officers that he had financial issues and was sorry for robbing the bank. He also stated that he would apologize to the bank employee if given the opportunity. During the search of Stanley’s home, officers found the firearm and clothing worn during the robbery.

In the plea agreement, Stanley admitted to knowing he was a felon and that he was not authorized by law to possess a firearm and ammunition. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Flynn and John Brasher prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.