Taney County Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery

SPRINGFIELD, MO—David M. Ketchmark, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Protem, Missouri man pleaded guilty in federal court today to robbing First Home Savings Bank in Forsyth, Missouri.

Trent Allen Singleton, 43, of Protem, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge James C. England to the charge contained in an August 28, 2012 federal indictment. By pleading guilty today, Singleton admitted that he stole $19,216 from First Home Savings Bank.

Singleton entered First Home Savings Bank, 20377 U.S. Highway 160, Forsyth, at about 12:45 p.m. on Monday, July 30, 2012. Singleton placed a green cloth bag on the counter and demanded that the teller put money in the bag. The tellers working at the time were intimidated by his demand and immediately complied. After receiving the money, Singleton left the bank.

Because he did not wear a disguise, one of the bank tellers recognized Singleton as a customer from a previous bank encounter and provided that information to the local police and the FBI.

Later that day, law enforcement officers found Singleton at his residence and arrested him. Singleton took officers to the location where he had buried the stolen money at his residence. The officers unearthed approximately $19,216 that Singleton had hidden.

Under federal statutes, Singleton is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abram McGull, II. It was investigated by the FBI and the Taney County, Missouri Sheriff’s Department.

This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available online at http://www.justice.gov/usao/mow/index.html.