Wichita Man Gets 20 Years for Robbing Catholic Family Federal

WICHITA, KS—A Wichita man has been sentenced to 20 years for robbing Catholic Family Federal Credit Union in November, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Deshane Gantt, 22, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. In his plea, he admitted that on Nov. 8, 2010, he and co-defendant Christopher Crabtree met at Gantt’s residence at 152 N. Charles in Wichita to make plans to rob the Catholic Family Federal Credit Union at 1902 W. Douglas. Crabtree agreed to drive Gantt to the credit union and to help him after the robbery so the proceeds of the robbery would not be found at Gantt’s residence.

Gantt, armed with a 9 mm pistol, went into the credit union and told the employees, “This is a robbery...I don’t want to turn this into a homicide.” He vaulted the counter and collected cash from the drawers in a pillow case.

After the robbery, Wichita police stopped a car carrying Gantt and Crabtree. When police searched the car they found the proceeds of the robbery in the pillow case.

Co-defendant Christopher Crabtree was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison.

Grissom commended the Wichita Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson for their work on the case.