91 Year-old Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery

Social Security just didn’t cut for a 91 year-old Texas man who now faces 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to a one count indictment charging him with bank robbery. It took police less than an hour to catch the crusty crook after he fled with $1,999.00 heisted in broad daylight from an Abilene bank. Just another case from the gallery of Big or Unusual Federal Crimes.

United States Attorney Jane J. Boyle announced that J.L. Hunter Rountree, age 91, pled guilty today in Lubbock, Texas, before the Honorable United States District Judge Sam R. Cummings to a one count indictment that charged him with bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2113(a). Rountree faces a statutory maximum 20-year sentence and a $250,000 fine. Rountree has been in custody since his arrest in August. A sentencing date has not yet been set by the court.

Rountree admitted that at approximately 9:55 a.m. on August 12, 2003, he entered the First American Bank, 3409 South 14th Street, in Abilene, Texas, and approached the middle teller station. Rountree was carrying two manila envelopes, one of which had the word "Robbery" written on it in red magic marker. Rountree showed the teller this envelope and handed her the other manila envelope. He instructed the teller to put the money in the envelope. At first, the teller thought Rountree was kidding, and asked, "What do you mean?" Rountree again instructed her to put money in the envelope and told her to "hurry up or you will get hurt." The teller still thought he was joking and asked: "You're kidding?" Rountree again instructed her to put the money in the envelope. The teller looked at another teller, who instructed her to follow Rountree's instructions. The teller then slowly placed $1,999.00 in the envelope, and, after Rountree stated to just seal the envelope and give it to him, handed it to Rountree.

Rountree then exited the bank and got into a 1996 Buick sedan. A bank employee and customers observed Rountree's license plate number as he drove off and reported it, along with a description of Rountree, to police.

Approximately thirty minutes later, an agent of the West Central Texas Interlocal Crime Task Force observed Rountree's sedan traveling on Highway 83/84 near CR 150 heading south, approximately 20 miles south of Abilene. The agent followed the vehicle and radioed for assistance, but during that time, Rountree sped up to 90 miles per hour. The agent stopped Rountree and arrested him. The agent found a plastic HEB grocery bag in Rountree's car with the $1999.00 from the bank in it. The agent asked Rountree for his date of birth and Rountree responded that it didn't matter because he was going to spend the rest of his life in prison. Later, at some point during another interview, Rountree stated that "you caught me - I was stupid." Rountree then admitted that the First American Bank in Abilene was the only bank he had robbed that day.

Rountree was then taken to the bank where four of the five witnesses to the robbery identified him as the person who had robbed the bank. Rountree made a full confession to the bank robbery. Law enforcement officers discovered a red magic marker in Rountree's shirt pocket; clothing that matched that worn by Rountree during the robbery; and a receipt dated the day before the robbery from HEB for a bottle of water and a package of manila envelopes.

United States Attorney Boyle praised the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Abilene, Texas), the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Taylor County Sheriff's Office, the Abilene Police Department, and the West Central Texas Interlocal Crime Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Haag of the Lubbock, Texas, United States Attorney's Office. [Justice Department press release]

Also See: More Big or Unusual Federal Crimes and Criminals