Brothers Plead Guilty to Armed Bank Robbery, Assault on a Federal Officer, and Related Firearms Offenses

DALLAS—This afternoon, Johnny Charles Butler, 45, appeared before U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis and pleaded guilty to two counts of armed bank robbery, one count of assaulting a federal officer and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. His brother, James Robert Cleveland Butler, 44, pleaded guilty in February 2013 to two counts of armed bank robbery and one count of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Both have been in custody since their arrest in August 2012 at their residence in Quinlan, Texas. Today’s announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

If the court accepts the terms of the plea agreements, the parties agree that the appropriate term of imprisonment is 35 years in federal prison for Johnny Charles Butler and 25 years’ imprisonment for James Robert Cleveland Butler.

According to documents filed in the case, both Johnny Butler and James Butler admitted committing the armed takeover-style robberies of Bank of America, 100 West Highway 80, Forney, Texas, on November 25, 2011 and May 18, 2012.

Johnny Butler also admits firing three shots from a .357 caliber pistol at SWAT agents while they were attempting to execute a federal search warrant at his Quinlan residence on August 2, 2012.

The investigation was conducted by the Safe Street Violent Crime Task Force of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Robinson.