Sparta Man Sentenced for Two Bank Robberies

KANSAS CITY, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Sparta, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for robbing two banks in Nixa, Mo., and Ozark, Mo.

Joshua T. Caprarella, 29, of Sparta, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ortrie D. Smith to five years in federal prison without parole.

On March 1, 2011, Caprarella pleaded guilty to robbing Great Southern Bank, 717 W. Mount Vernon St., in Nixa. Caprarella entered the bank on May 6, 2010, and presented a note to the teller, demanding money. As Caprarella left the bank, he was approached by a police officer and threw the money into the air. Caprarella was arrested by the police officer outside the bank immediately after the robbery.

At the time of the Great Southern Bank robbery, Caprarella was on bond and awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to robbing Bank Midwest, 2004 W. Marler Ln., in Ozark. Caprarella admitted that he also robbed Bank Midwest by presenting a note to a bank teller, demanding money.

These cases were prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Nixa, Mo., Police Department, the Ozark, Mo., Police Department and the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department