Press Release
KC Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Armed Robberies
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Missouri
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for a series of armed robberies following his arrest after a head-on collision with a police vehicle in a Quik Trip parking lot.
Roy L. House, Jr., 38, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 30 years in federal prison without parole.
On March 20, 2018, House pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and to brandishing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. Co-defendant Curlie Pruitt, III, 40, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced on Sept. 13, 2018, to 10 years and nine months in federal prison without parole.
House and Pruitt both admitted they participated in a conspiracy to rob four businesses at gunpoint in December 2016. They stole $500 and at least one carton of cigars (as well as $150 from an employee) from Road Star Gas Station, 11100 E. US 40 Hwy., Independence, Mo. They stole $200 and an undetermined amount of cigars (as well as an employee’s wallet) from Beeline Mini-Mart, 1005 Isley Blvd., Excelsior Springs, Mo. They stole $300 (as well as $200 from an employee) from Discount Smokes, 4718 N.E. Vivion Rd., Kansas City, Mo. They also robbed the Phillips 66 Gas Station at 3636 Randolph Road, Randolph, Mo.
House and Pruitt also admitted they used an American Tactical .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun during those robberies.
House and Pruitt were arrested on Dec. 20, 2016. Independence police officers were contacted by an employee at the Super 8 Hotel, 4031 S. Lynn Court Drive, in regard to two men – later identified as Pruitt and House – who were acting suspiciously. The employee feared the men were going to rob the hotel. They left the hotel but returned at approximately 9:05 p.m.
When officers arrived at the hotel, House and Pruitt were in a blue Ford 500 and were leaving the area, with Pruitt driving. A police officer activated the emergency equipment on his patrol vehicle to initiate a traffic stop, however, Pruitt accelerated the vehicle and drove through the parking lot of the Quik Trip at 4024 S. Noland Road. As Pruitt’s vehicle continued at a high rate of speed through the parking lot, traveling toward S. Noland Road, it collided head-on with the patrol vehicle of another officer who was responding to assist. The collision was severe enough to disable both vehicles.
Pruitt immediately attempted to exit his vehicle and flee, but was trapped by a third police vehicle that pinned the driver’s side door closed. Pruitt and House were placed under arrest. Officers found the loaded American Tactical .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun on the floor board of the front passenger seat area.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Excelsior Springs, Mo., Police Department.
Updated November 15, 2018
Topics
Firearms Offenses
Violent Crime
Component