Heath B. Clark Gets 8 Years for Armed Bank Robberies

Heath B. Clark, 44, of Pleasant View, Tennessee, is headed to federal prison for over eight years after terrorizing bank tellers across three states with implied gun threats. Clark pleaded guilty to robbing the Woodforest National Bank in Evansville, Indiana; the Bank of Bolivar in Springfield, Missouri; and the Fifth Third Bank in Kennesaw, Georgia—all within a 15-day rampage in March 2015. U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young handed down a 100-month sentence, calling the pattern of violence calculated and dangerous.

The first strike came March 9, 2015, inside a Kroger in Kennesaw, Georgia. Clark walked into the Fifth Third Bank, passed a note reading, “You are being robbed. I have a gun,” and growled, “If you don’t empty your drawer I’m going to shoot you.” He repeated, “You have six seconds to empty your drawer before I shoot you.” The shaken teller complied, handing over $11,515. Though no weapon was seen, the threat was enough to paralyze the room with fear.

Days later, on March 19, Clark hit the Woodforest National Bank inside an Evansville Walmart. This time, he handed the bank manager a note: “Don’t hit the [expletive] alarm.” He didn’t verbally claim to have a gun—but kept his hand in his pocket, suggesting one was there. As the manager filled a bag with $830, Clark dropped a Tennessee driver’s license and a Green Dot Gold Visa Debit card. The ID, belonging to Heath Brent Clark, matched the robber’s face—giving investigators their first solid lead.

Not slowing down, Clark struck again on March 23 at the Bank of Bolivar in Springfield, Missouri. He passed a note to the teller: “Don’t hit the alarm or I will [expletive] kill you.” The teller, fearing for her life, handed over $8,610 without resistance. Each robbery followed the same cold, methodical script—no fireworks, no wasted words, just fear and fast cash.

On March 24, just one day after the Missouri job, the U.S. Marshals Service tracked Clark to a casino in Robinsonville, Mississippi. He was found carrying more than $2,000 in cash—likely some of the stolen money. All three banks were federally insured by the FDIC, triggering federal jurisdiction and harsher penalties. The FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, U.S. Marshals, and Evansville Police Department coordinated the rapid takedown.

Assistant United States Attorney Kyle M. Sawa, who prosecuted the case, confirmed Clark must now pay full restitution to the three banks and serve three years of supervised release upon his release from prison. The sentence sends a message: cross state lines with threats of violence, and the feds will hunt you down—one dropped ID at a time.