Kemah Man Indicted for Liberty County Attempted Bank Robbery

BEAUMONT, Texas – A 58-year-old Kemah, Texas man has been indicted for attempted bank robbery in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.

            Jimmy James Mamoth, Jr., was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 2, 2019 and charged with attempted bank robbery. 

            According to information presented by prosecutors, on Sep. 27, 2019, Mamoth was alleged to have been seen walking outside the Texas First Bank located on FM 834 in Hull, Texas, dressed in a dark hooded jacket with a Halloween-style mask on his face.  Mamoth was also reported to have been wearing gloves and carrying a small duffle bag.  As Mamoth approached the bank’s entrance, a bank customer in a vehicle saw Mamoth pulling the mask over his face.  The bank customer began honking the horn when he realized Mamoth was entering the bank.  The honking startled Mamoth who then ran past the bank entrance and into the nearby woods.  The customer followed Mamoth and reported the incident to police.  Law enforcement officers responded and were able to locate Mamoth with the reported hooded jacket, gloves, mask, duffle bag and an airsoft style plastic replica gun meant to resemble a Beretta 9mm pistol.

            If convicted, Mamoth faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

            “What a great job this citizen did to prevent a bank robbery,” said U.S. Attorney Joe Brown.  “He didn’t just look the other way, he acted.  And even though it may have seemed like a small act, it could have saved lives.  He is a hero in my book.”

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kennedy Gates.

A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.