Bank robber sentenced to 10 years in prison after guilty plea

Smith
Smith

A homeless man who robbed a local bank last December was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty in Garland County Circuit Court.

Raymond Earl Smith, 60, who was arrested Jan. 6 in Carlsbad, N.M., and extradited to Hot Springs, pleaded guilty to a felony count of robbery and in addition to prison time was ordered to pay $1,553 in restitution to Arvest Bank and $721 in extradition costs to the Garland County Sheriff's Department, which had to go retrieve him.

Smith has remained in custody in lieu of $100,000 bond since his arrest in New Mexico and will be given credit for time served. He was previously convicted of bank robbery in 1978 in Morris County, Texas, and served five years.

According to the affidavit, on Dec. 14, shortly before noon, Hot Springs police responded to Arvest Bank, 1500 Albert Pike, to a robbery that had just occurred and spoke to the female teller who stated that a white male had entered the bank wearing a black ski mask and placed a note on her counter.

She told him he would have to remove his mask and he said, "No, this is a robbery. Give me all your money." She noted he had his hand in his pocket as if he had a weapon. After giving him money, the man exited the bank.

An employee of Sonic, 1510 Albert Pike, told police that around 11:45 a.m. she had seen a white male walk across the rocks that separated the bank parking lot from the restaurant parking lot and he matched the description of the suspect.

Video from Sonic showed the suspect walking toward the bank away from a red Ford pickup parked in one of the restaurant bays and walking back minutes later.

An employee of Summit Bank on Airport Road had video of the same suspect attempting to enter the bank around 11:40 a.m. The footage shows the suspect walking toward the front doors, pulling a ski mask down around his face.

Video from Wal-Mart, 1601 Albert Pike, which is adjacent to Summit Bank, showed the same red 2009 Ford F-150 pickup entering the lot at approximately 11:33 a.m. and parking behind the bank, and the suspect was seen walking toward the bank.

It was noted the pickup had a bed cover and white lettering on the rear window which was later determined to spell, "Smith and Smith Painting."

HSPD detective S. Lampinen contacted local paint distributors and learned there was a Smith and Smith Painting that had an account with Sherwin Williams, and he determined the company was owned by Raymond Smith and his wife. He also learned a red 2009 Ford pickup was registered to Smith.

Lampinen spoke to a person who had rented a cabin on Lodge Road to Smith and the address was the one listed on Smith's driver's license. The landlord said he had known Smith for three or four years and they had done some small jobs together. He confirmed Smith drove a red Ford pickup with "Smith and Smith Painting" on the rear window.

Local on 09/17/2014

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