AMARILLO, Texas – A brazen daylight robbery of the Education Credit Union at 1801 FM 2381 back in September 2016 has finally landed five individuals in federal court, admitting their roles in the $60,067 heist. U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas announced the guilty pleas this week, bringing a long-awaited reckoning for the calculated crime.
The most heavily charged are Leonard Jovon Coulter, 29, and Raul Garcia, 28, both of whom pleaded guilty to one count of credit union robbery and one count of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. The stakes are high: the robbery charge carries a maximum 20-year federal prison sentence and a $250,000 fine. The firearms offense adds a mandatory minimum of seven years, along with another $250,000 fine. Both are scheduled to be sentenced July 11, 2017.
According to court documents, Coulter and Richard Charles Cunningham, Jr., 39, stormed the credit union, with Coulter brandishing a firearm at a teller. The situation escalated quickly; Coulter jumped the counter, pressing the gun to the teller’s back while demanding access to the vault. After securing approximately $60,067, the pair ordered employees to the ground before fleeing. Cunningham’s sentencing is slated for July 10, 2017. Desire Valverde, 23, who was an employee of the credit union at the time, also pleaded guilty to one count of credit union robbery and faces sentencing July 11, 2017.
The investigation quickly revealed a wider conspiracy. Garcia wasn’t inside the bank, but was the designated getaway driver, and investigators determined he was a key planner. A search of Garcia’s vehicle turned up $5,020 in cash packaged with Education Credit Union bands, and two firearms – including the weapon used by Coulter during the robbery. Further searches of his residence uncovered another $23,890 in banded cash. The FBI also linked Garcia and Coulter to a prior robbery of the same credit union on May 25, 2016, where Valverde allegedly provided inside information and even handed Coulter money from her teller drawer, receiving a cut of the stolen funds.
The web of complicity didn’t stop there. Keli Edwards, 35, Coulter’s girlfriend, pleaded guilty to one count of misprision of a felony – essentially knowing about the crime and failing to report it. Her role was lookout, monitoring for law enforcement while Coulter and Cunningham committed the robbery. She also drove Cunningham away from the scene to meet Garcia. Edwards’ sentencing is scheduled for July 10, 2017, and she faces a maximum of three years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), along with the Potter County Sheriff’s office and Amarillo Police Department, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Frausto is prosecuting the case. This case underscores the far-reaching consequences of even seemingly simple robberies, and the relentless pursuit of justice by federal law enforcement. The investigation continues to ensure all involved parties are held accountable.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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