Charges Filed in Thwarted Bank Robbery

KANSAS CITY, KS—Kenneth Rayford, Overland Park, Kan., Paul G. Rayford, Kansas City, Kan., and Claude White, Kansas City, Kan., have been charged with attempted bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch said today.

A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., charges each of the three men with one count of attempted bank robbery and one count of using a handgun to commit a bank robbery. The complaint alleges that on Oct. 22, 2009, the men attempted to rob the Interstate Federal Savings Bank, 1919 78th Street in Kansas City, Kan.

According to the complaint, on Oct. 22, 2009, FBI agents and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, received information that the bank was going to be robbed. Two agents were inside the bank when Paul Rayford and White tried to enter the bank and found the door locked. Other agents moved in to arrest Paul Rayford and White, both of whom were wearing protective body armor. Agents also recovered a Glock .40-caliber handgun. Agents stopped another car nearby and arrested Kenneth Rayford.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the attempted bank robbery charge, and a penalty of not less than 5 years on the firearms charge. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Independence Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments filed merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.