Former Concordia Man SentencedIn Cloud County Bank Robbery

TOPEKA, KAN. – A man who was armed with a shotgun when he robbed a bank in Cloud County, Kan., has been sentenced to federal prison, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Eric Lee Strait, 24, formerly of Concordia, Kan., was sentenced to 28 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. Strait was indicted in June 2012. The indictment alleged that on Nov. 14, 2008, he carried a shotgun when he robbed the Jamestown State Bank at 422 Walnut Street in Jamestown, Kan.

In May 2013, Ryan Michael Steinert, 24, Concordia,, Kan., was indicted on charges of conspiring with Strait to rob the bank. The indictment of Steinert alleged the two men worked together to plan the robbery. Strait was to do the robbery alone. Steinert agreed with Strait to steal a car to use in the robbery and to destroy the car after the robbery. On Nov. 13, 2008, Strait stole a 2002 Chevrolet Malibu in Clyde, Kan., to use in the robbery. Steinert helped prepare the car for the robbery. The two would later split the proceeds of the robbery.

In July 2013, Steinert pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank robbery. He is set for sentencing Oct. 9.

Grissom commended the FBI, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Cloud County Sheriff’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.