June 27, 2014

Two Kansas City Men Indicted for Robbing Raytown Bank

KANSAS CITY, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two Kansas City, Mo., men were indicted by a federal grand jury today for robbing First Federal Bank in Raytown, Mo.

Robert T. Morris, 31, and Anthony Beeks, 52, both of Kansas City, were charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Morris on May 22, 2014, and adds Beeks as a co-defendant.

Today’s indictment alleges that Morris and Beeks, aiding and abetting each other, stole $2,025 from First Federal Bank, 9330 E. Gregory, Raytown, on April 24, 2014.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, 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, the indictment says. Morris allegedly put the stolen money in a manila envelope and fled the bank. The demand note was left behind.

On May 13, 2014, a witness told law enforcement officers that he recognized Morris from bank surveillance photos that were posted on a media Web site. A few minutes, Kansas City police officers located Morris and Beeks, who were driving through the Westport area, and began surveillance.

On May 22, 2014, a federal search warrant was executed on the vehicle Beeks had been driving, which was at his residence. Morris was arrested the same day. Beeks was arrested today.

Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Leena V. Ramana. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.