Abilene Man Admits Robbing Citibank Last Month

ABILENE, TX—Jacob Alan Powell, 28, of Abilene, Texas, appeared in federal court today and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to an indictment charging one count of aggravated bank robbery stemming from the July 8, 2013 robbery of a Citibank location in Abilene. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Judge Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report with a sentencing date to be set following the completion of that report. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

According to documents filed in the case, during the early afternoon of July 8, 2013, Powell, wearing business attire and a Hardin-Simmons University baseball cap, entered the Citibank N.A. located at 3409 South 14th Street in Abilene. He waited several minutes before an available teller asked him to her station. Once at the teller counter, he told the teller that he was making a withdrawal. When the teller asked him for his account number, he told her that she did not understand and then lifted his suit jacket to show her a gun in his waistband. The gun appeared to be real to the teller and placed her in fear for her life. The teller then opened her cash drawer and put cash in a bag that Powell provided, and Powell quickly left the bank.

The following day, bank surveillance photos were shown on the local news, and Powell was identified by witnesses.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Abilene Police Department. Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Williams is in charge of the prosecution.