POCATELLO, Idaho – Steven James Parker, 50, has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for the brazen robbery of the Bank of Commerce in American Falls, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
On September 1, 2023, Parker walked into the Bank of Commerce, a handgun in hand, and ordered the tellers to fill a grocery bag with cash. The terrified bank employees complied, and Parker left the bank, threatening to return. ‘I’ll be back,’ he said, as he made his getaway.
Thanks to quick thinking by the bank’s security cameras and nearby businesses, police were able to track down Parker’s truck and eventually identify him as the culprit. A tipster came forward, identifying Parker as the bank robber, and police went to his residence in Mountain Home and a friend’s residence in Boise, obtaining search warrants and recovering the stolen money and the gun used in the heist.
Parker’s prior convictions for bank robbery include a 2002 federal conviction and two state court convictions. He was out on parole for just five months when he committed the American Falls robbery. U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit praised the cooperative efforts of local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, American Falls Police Department, Power County Sheriff’s Office, and more.
Parker pleaded guilty to the charges on January 24, 2024, and was sentenced to six years for the bank robbery and a consecutive seven-year sentence for using a gun in the commission of the crime. He was also ordered to pay $11,106 in restitution to the bank and serve five years of supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Haycock prosecuted the case, and Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill imposed the sentence. The sentence is a stark reminder that bank robbers will be caught and brought to justice, and that the penalties for committing such crimes will be severe.
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Key Facts
- State: Idaho
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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