Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man on Aggravated Bank Robbery and Firearms Charges

LUBBOCK, TX—A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Donald Joseph West, 49, with committing the armed robbery of FirstBank Southwest in Amarillo, Texas, last week, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas. West has been in state custody since he was arrested the following evening by officers with the Amarillo Police Department and special agents with the FBI. A date has not yet been set for West to make his initial appearance in federal court.

According to documents filed in the case and surveillance tape of the robbery, on Monday, November 5, 2012, a man wearing a mask entered the FirstBank Southwest branch located at 5701 Southwest 34th Street in Amarillo, pointed a gun at a teller, and demanded cash. The teller placed money in a bag and the man, later identified as West, left the bank.

The federal indictment charges West with one count of aggravated bank robbery, one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury, and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. Upon conviction however, the penalties are: a maximum of 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for aggravated bank robbery; a mandatory five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the Amarillo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Drake, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Amarillo, is in charge of the prosecution.