Arkansas Bandit Whisenant Sentenced for Texarkana Bank Heist

TEXARKANA, Texas – The Department of Justice has locked up Joe Elva Whisenant, a 49-year-old from Cove, Arkansas, for his brazen bank heist in Texarkana. Whisenant was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison for robbing the Wells Fargo Bank branch on July 24, 2012, and pocketing $738.

The court documents reveal that Whisenant left no stone unturned in his criminal pursuit of cash. After the Texas heist, he fled with a moped and was eventually nabbed by law enforcement.

But this wasn’t just a one-time crime of opportunity; Whisenant had history. His fingerprints were all over the Bancorp South Bank branch in Texarkana, Arkansas, where he robbed $23,153 on November 28, 2011. The Arkansas federal grand jury indicted him for that heist as well.

Whisenant’s case was a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice by federal agents and local law enforcement. The FBI, Texarkana Police Departments in Texas and Arkansas, and Bowie County Sheriff’s Office all played a role in putting Whisenant behind bars.

U.S. District Judge Michael Schneider handed down the sentence on Friday, also ordering Whisenant to pay $23,153 in restitution for his crimes. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen Hurst and Jonathan D. Ross led the prosecution.

This sentencing serves as a stark reminder that bank robbers will not escape justice, especially when federal agencies come together to fight financial crime. Whisenant’s sentence is now part of the federal prison record, marking a new chapter in his life that he can’t run from any longer.