KANSAS CITY, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for robbing a Raytown, Mo., bank.

Anthony Beeks, 53, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to six years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Beeks to pay $2,025 in restitution to the bank.

Co-defendant Robert T. Morris, 32, of Kansas City, was sentenced on Aug. 4, 2015, to 19 months in federal prison without parole and is jointly and severally liable for the restitution.

Beeks and Morris each pleaded guilty to stealing $2,025 from First Federal Bank, 9330 E. Gregory, Raytown.

On April 24, 2014, Morris entered the bank, approached the teller counter and provided the teller with a demand note, which was similar in verbiage to the following, “YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS, HURRY UP, PUT THE MONEY IN THE BAG, NO FUNNY BUSINESS, HURRY UP.” The teller did not have access to any money, but walked over to another teller and showed her the demand note. The second teller then provided Morris with $2,025. Morris put the stolen money in a manila envelope and fled from the bank. Beeks drove the getaway vehicle during the bank robbery.

A witness told law enforcement officers that Morris had admitted his role in the robbery to him. The witness also recognized Morris from bank surveillance photos that were posted on a media Web site. According to this witness, Morris and Beeks were planning to commit another bank robbery in the near future.

Over the course of several days, law enforcement officers conducted surveillance on Morris and Beeks. During this time frame, officers observed what they believed to be multiple “casings” of various banks in the Kansas City metropolitan area. On May 22, 2014, a federal search warrant was executed on the vehicle Morris and Beeks had been driving. Morris was arrested the same day.

This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Caine. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.