Diamond Man Pleads Guilty to Four Armed Bank Robberies in Missouri and Kansas

KANSAS CITY, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Diamond, Missouri man pleaded guilty in federal court today to four bank robberies that occurred in Missouri and Kansas.

Richard Allan Bratt, 58, of Diamond, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard E. Dorr this morning to an information that charges him with three bank robberies in Missouri. Bratt also pleaded guilty to a fourth bank robbery, which is charged in an indictment from the District of Kansas.

By pleading guilty today, Bratt admitted that he used a handgun to rob Commerce Bank in Webb City, Missouri and in Joplin, Missouri U.S. Bank in Neosho, Missouri and Commercial Bank in Independence, Kansas.

Bratt stole $12,636 during the robbery of U.S. Bank in Neosho on Oct. 15, 2009. Bratt, wearing a white hockey face-mask, entered the bank shortly before noon. He pointed a loaded handgun at a bank employee and ordered her to come out of the room she was in, then approached the teller window. Bratt placed a bag on the counter, pointed the handgun at one of the tellers, and ordered the tellers to give him all their money. Bratt ordered the employees to lie on the floor, then he left the bank.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, a Neosho police officer saw Bratt’s vehicle in a nearby Wal-Mart Supercenter parking lot a few minutes later and contacted other officers for assistance. At least six police officers approached the vehicle and yelled for Bratt to exit the vehicle. Bratt saw the officers and responded by stating that he was not going to open the door. Bratt grasped a .38-caliber handgun that was located on the passenger side of the car, the affidavit says. An officer threw open the driver’s door and deployed a TASER stun gun. The TASER shock rendered Bratt incapable of resisting for several seconds, during which time the officers removed the handgun from Bratt’s right hand, removed him from his vehicle, and placed him in handcuffs.

Bratt stole $11,458 from Commerce Bank in Joplin on Sept. 10, 2009. Bratt, wearing a cat-face mask, entered the bank shortly before 5:30 p.m. He approached a bank employee, displayed a loaded handgun and demanded money from bank employees. Bratt instructed bank employees to lie down on the floor and then left the bank.

Bratt stole $9,975 from Commerce Bank in Webb City on July 10, 2009. Bratt entered the bank at about 3:30 p.m., approached a teller window and displayed a loaded handgun. He demanded money from the tellers, then instructed everyone in the bank to lie down on the floor when he left the bank.

Bratt stole $4,597 from Commercial Bank in Independence on June 5, 2009. When Bratt entered the bank, he approached the teller’s area and stated, “Gimme your money.” He then placed a revolver on the teller’s counter and the teller handed him money.

Under federal statutes, Bratt is subject to a sentence of up to 95 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $1 million and an order of restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas C. Bunch. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, police departments in Neosho, Joplin and Webb City, Missouri and the Newton County, Missouri Sheriff’s Department.