Newalla Man Charged with Robbing Choctaw Bank

OKLAHOMA CITY—Today, federal charges were filed against WILLIAM SHELBY GOMEZ, 19, of Newalla, Oklahoma, for the June 20, 2011, robbery of the Arvest Bank located at 14900 S.E. 29th Street, in Choctaw, Oklahoma, and for using a firearm during the bank robbery, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

According to criminal complaint, it is alleged that at approximately 4:30 p.m. on June 20, 2011, a man entered the bank with a shotgun, handed the teller a pillow case, and instructed the teller to put the money in the bag. The robbery was captured on the bank’s security cameras. After an investigation, the man was identified as Gomez who turned himself into the police on June 21, 2011.

Gomez appeared this afternoon in federal court for his initial appearance and remains in custody. A preliminary and detention hearing has been set for next Tuesday, June 28, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. in federal court in Oklahoma City.

If convicted, Gomez faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the bank robbery charge. In addition, he faces not less than seven years in prison consecutive to any other sentence for using a firearm during the bank robbery. The public is reminded that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, and the Choctaw Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Yancey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andre’ B. Caldwell.