Abilene Man Sentenced To 188 Months In Federal Prison For Robbing Citibank In Abilene This Summer

LUBBOCK, Texas — Jacob Alan Powell, 28, of Abilene, Texas, was sentenced this morning, by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings, to 188 months in federal prison for committing the July 8, 2013, aggravated bank robbery of a Citibank location in Abilene.  The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

According to documents filed in the case, on July 8, 2013, Powell, wearing business attire and a Hardin-Simmons University baseball cap, entered the Citibank, N.A., located at 3409 South 14th Street in Abilene.  He waited several minutes before an available teller asked him to her station.  Once at the teller counter, he told the teller that he was making a withdrawal.  When the teller asked him for his account number, he told her that she didn’t understand and then lifted his suit jacket to show her a gun in his waistband.  Fearing for her life as the gun appeared real, the teller opened her cash drawer and put cash in a bag that Powell provided; Powell then quickly left the bank. 

The following day, bank surveillance photos were shown on the local news and Powell was identified by witnesses.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Abilene Police Department.  Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Williams prosecuted.