United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

MAN DUBBED THE “LEPRECHAUN BANDIT” CHARGED
IN FEDERAL CRIMINAL COMPLAINT

FORT WORTH, Tx. — A federal criminal complaint was filed late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Fort Worth charging Richard Earl Kemp, 27, of Fort Worth, with robbing the Compass Bank, located at 2016 W. Rosedale Street in Fort Worth on April 2, 2007, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Kemp made his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Bleil, who ordered that he remain in federal custody pending a probable cause and detention hearing set for Monday, June 18, 2007, at 10:30 a.m.

The affidavit filed with the complaint states that a robber, matching Kemp’s description, entered the Compass Bank and gave a teller a bank pamphlet with writing on it that stated “I Need 100's - 50's - 20 - 10 No Bottom Bills - Marked Bills and no one gets hurt.” The teller handed the money, including two bait bills, to the robber, who then turned and left the bank.

Between April 2, 2007 and June 5, 2007, a total of eight bank robberies were committed in Tarrant County, Texas, by a robber matching Kemp’s description. The bank robber was dubbed the “Leprechaun Bandit” because in one of the surveillance photos, he appears to be wearing a baseball cap featuring a shamrock and a leprechaun.

On Saturday, June 12, 2007, a Fort Worth Police Department patrol officer, responding to a disturbance at a store on Camp Bowie Blvd., in Fort Worth, found Kemp asleep on a bench outside of the store. The officer placed Kemp under arrest for public intoxication, other than alcohol, because he was a danger to himself and others. Kemp told the officer that his car was parked in front of the store. Inside the vehicle, the officer found a piece of paper, between the two front seats of the vehicle, which read, “Absolutely no dye packs I need 100's - 50's - 20's and 10's Try and be a hero and nobody goes home toda.” A man’s wallet containing a Texas Identification card belonging to Richard Earl Kemp was also found in the car, along with two white towels with red stains on them that appeared to be from dye packs.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the excellent investigative efforts of the Fort Worth Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Lewis.

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