Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty in Bungled Bank Robbery

KANSAS CITY, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Missouri man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a bungled bank robbery attempt.

Martron E. Bailey, 26, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to the charge contained in a December 4, 2012 federal indictment.

By pleading guilty today, Bailey admitted that he aided and abetted another person to rob the United Missouri Bank at 6400 Independence Ave. in Kansas City, Missouri, on Nov. 6, 2012.

According to court documents, Bailey and another man came out of the bushes near the door of the bank as an employee arrived at about 7:20 a.m. The employee, visibly pregnant, screamed as she was backed into a corner of the doorway. Bailey ordered the employee to open the door, an affidavit says, but she told the robbers that she could not open the door. Bailey pushed her toward the door and again ordered her to open it. She told the robbers that an employee inside the building had to let her in the door. At that point, an affidavit says, the other employee had seen the activity outside the bank and already called 911.

“Tell her to let you in,” Bailey insisted. “I can’t,” the employee replied. “She sees you on the camera, and she’s not going to let me in.” While the other robber backed into the opposite corner of the doorway, Bailey backed away from the employee and asked, “Can she see me now?” The bank employee replied, “Yes, she’s not going to open the door.”

“So, we need to leave?” Bailey asked. “Yes, you do,” the employee replied.

According to an affidavit, the robbers fled back to the bushes and around a fence. As they ran toward their car, which was parked a couple of blocks away, a neighborhood resident saw them and became suspicious. The resident, who had seen the unfamiliar vehicle parked nearby and heard sirens in the area, thought they were acting suspiciously. The resident took photos of them getting into their car as well as photos of the green Chevrolet Malibu and the rear license plate. Those photos were given to law enforcement officers.

Officers reviewed bank surveillance video, which matched the individuals in the photos taken by the resident. They learned that the vehicle was registered to Bailey.

Later that day, a civilian police department employee received a call from her father about a green Chevrolet that was parked without permission in the backyard of another relative’s house. The police department employee learned that officers were attempting to locate a green vehicle, and when she checked the license plates, she learned that the parked vehicle was registered to Bailey, her cousin.

Police officers met with the homeowner, who did not know to whom the vehicle belonged and had not given permission for it to be parked in his backyard. Officers showed him the photo taken by the bank robbery witness, and he identified Baily, his nephew, as the person who was photographed getting into the car. Bailey was also identified by other family members. After photos were broadcast on television, an anonymous tip was received by the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers that provided Bailey’s residential address.

Under federal statutes, Bailey 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 David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.