A man who committed three armed robberies in a span of 4 weeks was convicted by a jury on August 25, 2023, after a four-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.
Kevon Spratt, age 30, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, three counts of use and brandishing of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, one count of attempted bank robbery, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The jury acquitted defendant of an additional count of bank robbery and use and brandishing of a fireman. The verdict was returned Friday morning following about six hours of jury deliberations.
Evidence at trial showed that on October 22, 2022, Spratt entered the Sgt. Bluff’s Stop Shell gas station in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, at approximately 7:11 p.m., armed with a handgun that had a distinctive gold barrel and gold ejection port. Spratt forced the clerk to the register and robbed her before he fled on foot from the scene. Spratt’s vehicle was seen on several surveillance cameras in the area beginning as early as 5:28pm.
October 24, 2022, Spratt entered the Check into Cash, in Sioux City, Iowa, just after 10:00 a.m., armed with the same distinctive handgun, forcing two employees to their registers. Spratt’s vehicle was seen on surveillance footage in the area as early as 7:00 a.m., the same video surveillance also captured his silver and black convertible-top car leaving the scene and crossing the bridge into South Sioux City, Nebraska as he fled.
On November 14, 2022, Spratt attempted to enter the Pioneer Bank in Salix, Iowa, as the teller exited the bank just after noon. Spratt can be seen on surveillance footage circling the bank and town of Salix beginning just after 8:00 a.m. Spratt was able to make entry into the bank but was unable to get away with any funds because of the actions of the teller.
Additionally, the jury heard evidence of two other local armed robberies. On October 16, 2022, the Dakota City, Nebraska Food and Fuel at was robbed at gun point at approximately 8:04 p.m. by a man matching Spratt’s description, using a gun and car similar to those used by Spratt. On November 11, 2022, there was an attempted armed robbery of the Conoco gas station in Jefferson, South Dakota. Again, the robber matched Spratt’s description as did the gun and car.
Spratt had previously been convicted of aggravated battery of a peace officer, aggravated robbery, and attempted theft from a person, all in Cook County, Illinois.
United States Attorney Timothy Duax stated, “Good police work and seamless cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement throughout the investigation and prosecution has resulted in the removal of a dangerous criminal from our streets. Siouxland is safer tonight because of their efforts.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Spratt remains in custody of the United States Marshal. Spratt faces a mandatory minimum sentence of between 21 years and life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment for each count.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department; the Sergeant Bluff, Iowa Police Department; the Jefferson, South Dakota Police Department; the South Sioux City, Nebraska Police Department; the Woodbury County, Iowa Sheriff’s Department, the Woodbury County Iowa Attorney’s Office; the Monona County, Iowa Sheriff’s Department, the Dakota County, Nebraska Sheriff’s Department, The Iowa Department of Public Safety — Iowa State Patrol; the Iowa Department of Natural Resources; the United States Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF) and the United States Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-4011.
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