A Diamond man apprehended in Neosho has been sentenced for four bank robberies that took place in Missouri and Kansas.
Richard Allan Bratt, 58, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard E. Dorr to 10 years and one month in federal prison without parole.
In June, Bratt waived his right to a grand jury to charges of three bank robberies in Missouri and another in Kansas. Bratt admitted he used a handgun to rob U.S. Bank in Neosho, Commerce Bank locations in Webb City and Joplin, and Commercial Bank in Independence, Kan.
Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, said Bratt stole $12,636 during the Neosho U.S Bank robbery on Oct. 15, 2009. Wearing a white hockey face mask, Bratt allegedly entered the bank shortly before noon and pointed a loaded handgun at a bank employee, ordering her out of the room she was in. He then reportedly approached the teller window, placed a bag on the counter, pointed the handgun at one of the tellers, and ordered the tellers to give him all of their money. He ordered the bank employees to lie on the floor, then left the building.
Bratt’s vehicle was spotted by a Neosho police officer at the nearby Neosho Wal-Mart Supercenter parking lot moments after the robbery. The officer called for assistance. Six officers approached the vehicle, and yelled at Bratt to get out of the car. Bratt told the officers he wasn’t going to leave the vehicle, and grabbed a .38-caliber handgun from the passenger side of the car.
An officer threw open the driver’s side of the vehicle and shot Bratt with a TASER gun, rendering the suspect incapable of resisting for several seconds. In that timespan, officers removed the handgun from Bratt’s right hand, got him out of the car, and placed him in handcuffs.
Bratt stole $11,458 from Commerce Bank in Joplin on Sept. 10 of last year. Wearing a cat-face mask, Bratt entered the bank shortly before 5:30 p.m. He approached a bank employee, displayed a loaded handgun and demanded money from bank workers. He told employees to lie down on the floor and then left the bank.
On July 10, 2009, Bratt stole $9,975 from Commerce Bank in Webb City. He entered the bank at about 3:30 p.m., approached a teller window and displayed a loaded handgun. He demanded money from the tellers, then instructed everyone in the bank to lie down on the floor as he left the building.
Bratt stole $4,597 from Commercial Bank in Independence, Kan., on June 5, 2009. When he entered the bank, Phillips said, he approached the teller’s area and stated “Gimme your money.” He then placed a revolver on the teller’s counter and the teller handed him the money.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas C. Bunch. Investigating the robberies were the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Neosho, Joplin and Webb City police departments, and the Newton County Sheriff’s Department.
