Joplin man charged with robbery of Arvest Bank

 

Ray Tonio Williams, 40, Joplin, was charged with bank robbery by force or violence in a complaint filed today in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

Williams was arrested shortly after the 4:30 p.m. Monday robbery of Arrest Bank, 701 S. Main Street, Joplin.

From the probable cause affidavit:

Upon their arrival, Joplin Police Department officers interviewed the victim teller and obtained video surveillance footage of the bank for the relevant time period.

At the time of the initial interview by JPD, the victim teller began to cry and needed a moment to calm down before speaking with JPD. The victim teller stated that a male, later identified as Ray Tonio Williams entered the bank and waited in line.

The victim teller advised that she was ready to help the next customer and Williams walked over to {her} and slid a note on the counter that read, "This is a robbery."

The victim teller then told Williams that she was unsure what he wanted, to which Williams responded, "I want money."

Williams then told her to "open the drawer" and proceeded to point at what he wanted from {her} drawer. {She} handed Williams the cash he pointed at and Williams walked out of the bank. The victim teller later told another JPD officer that she was scared of Williams.

Based on a review of the security footage, at approximately 4:23 p.m., Williams entered Arrest Bank, sat in a chair in the bank lobby and gathered items from inside of his pocket. At approximately 4:25 p.m. Williams stood up, proceeded to the teller one and secured a writing utensil before he walked away. At approximately 4:26 p.m., Williams stood in the lobby and wrote on a small, folded piece of paper.

At approximately 4:29 p.m. Williams walked up the victim teller and passed her a note. {She} then appeared to change screens on her computer. Williams motioned for the cash inside of the drawer, which the victim teller provided. Wiliams then pointed at the drawer and the victim provided him with more cash.

After taking the cash from victim teller at approximately 4:30 p.m. Williams departed the bank on foot.

A short time later, based on the physical description provided during the 911 call, JPD officers apprehended Williams a few blocks away from Arvest Bank. At the time of his encounter with JPD, Williams was found to have $725 in his possession, which was later determined to be the exact amount of currency the victim teller's drawer was short.

During the apprehension of Williams, the victim teller accompanied a JPD detective and positively identified Williams as the individual who passed her the robbery note. Williams was arrested and taken to the Joplin City Jail.