Terence L. Thomas, Gunpoint Robbery, Kansas 2024

A Wichita man who held a jewelry store owner at gunpoint was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

Terence L. Thomas, 25, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of brandishing a firearm during a jewelry store robbery and one count of bank robbery in a separate incident.

The jewelry store robbery occurred when Thomas approached the owner of Kim Chee Jewelry at 2038 N. Broadway as the owner and his wife arrived for work. Thomas had a knife and the owner drew a handgun in self-defense. The two men wrestled and shots were fired before Thomas got the gun. He forced the owner to open the door to the business.

When Thomas tried to drag the owner’s wife into the business, she fell to the ground, feigning a heart attack. Thomas fled the scene after the owner locked him out of the business. A witness took photos of Thomas’ car as he fled, which helped police to identify Thomas and arrest him.

In a separate incident a month earlier, Thomas robbed the Fidelity Bank at 3525 E. Harry. He told the teller, “This is a robbery,” and counted down from twenty while the teller put cash in his bag. He fled the bank with the money.

Beall commended the Wichita Police Department, FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case. The sentence of 12 years in federal prison is a significant one, and it reflects the seriousness of the crimes committed by Thomas.

The case against Thomas is a reminder of the importance of law enforcement cooperation and the need for swift and severe punishment for those who commit violent crimes. The people of Wichita can feel safer knowing that Thomas is behind bars and will not be able to harm them for a long time.

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