Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Western District of Missouri

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Two KC Men Indicted for Armed Bank Robbery, Illegal Firearms

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two Kansas City, Mo., men were indicted by a federal grand jury today for armed bank robbery and for illegally possessing firearms.

Gregory Burgin, 58, and his stepson, Howard T. Patton, 37, both of Kansas City, were charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Burgin on March 14, 2016, adds Patton as a defendant and includes additional charges.

The federal indictment alleges that Burgin and Patton aided and abetted each other to steal $8,142 at gunpoint from Bank Midwest, 6429 Brookside Blvd., Kansas City, Mo., on March 12, 2016. They are also charged with aiding and abetting each other to brandish firearms during a crime of violence.

Burgin and Patton, who have been convicted of felonies, are each charged with one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Burgin allegedly was in possession of a Kel Tech 9mm pistol, a Bersa .380-caliber pistol and ammunition. Patton allegedly was in possession of a Bersa .380-caliber pistol and ammunition.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Burgin and Patton were both armed with handguns, which were pointed at the tellers and customers, when they entered the bank. One of them grabbed a customer from behind, the affidavit says, and pushed him to the ground before pointing a handgun directly at a teller. He demanded money and cocked the hammer on his handgun to intimidate her. They ordered an employee and customer to the ground. The teller placed the money in a duffle bag and they fled from the bank.

Police officers saw a vehicle parked in Burgin’s driveway about half an hour later that matched the description of the get-away car. Inside Burgin’s residence, officers found a Crown Royal bag in the rafters that contained $8,155, as well as firearms and clothing items matching the description of what the bank robbers were wearing.

Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes, IV. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI.