United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Shantoria Valentine-Deguenon, age 23 of Omaha, Nebraska, was convicted today after a jury found her guilty of bank robbery. The Honorable Joseph F. Bataillon presided over the trial that was held this week in Federal District Court. Sentencing has been set for March 6, 2014. Ms. Valentine-Deguenon faces 20 years of imprisonment when she is sentenced.

On July 28, 2014, Valentine-Deguenon walked into the Wells Fargo branch located at 4725 South 84th Street, Ralston, Nebraska and gave a note to two tellers indicating she had a bomb. She also yelled that she had a bomb and demanded money from the tellers. The tellers gave her money and she fled the bank. A Good Samaritan, who happened to be parked in the bank parking lot, saw Valentine-Deguenon run from the bank, followed her, and tracked her to the Ralston Middle School parking lot where he ordered her to the ground. As that was happening, Ralston police officers arrived on the scene and placed her under arrest. She was found in possession of $1213.00 in U.S. currency taken from the bank.

The case was investigated by the Ralston Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation.