Springdale Man Pleads Guilty To Bank Robbery

Fort Smith, AR – Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Jaime Leonel Reinosa-Salguero, of Springdale, Arkansas, has pleaded guilty to one count of Bank Robbery and one count of Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.  The Honorable P.K. Holmes III accepted the plea in the United States District Court in Fort Smith on October 1, 2019.

According to court records, Reinosa-Salguero entered the Arvest Bank in Alma at approximately 10:38 a.m. on May 29, 2019.  He approached the teller and demanded money while brandishing a firearm.  The teller placed a large amount of currency into Reinosa-Salguero’s backpack.  Reinosa-Salguero then fired one round from his handgun directly over the teller’s head and the bullet impacted the north wall near the ceiling.  Reinosa-Salguero then fled the bank.  A short time later, Reinosa-Salguero was located traveling northbound on Interstate 49.  When Arkansas State Police initiated a traffic stop and ordered him to exit the vehicle, Reinosa-Salguero refused and fled, reaching speeds in excess of 100 m.p.h.  During the pursuit, Reinosa-Salguero fired multiple rounds at the trooper who returned fire and struck Reinosa-Salguero.  At approximately 11:12 a.m., the trooper performed a pursuit intervention technique causing Reinosa-Salguero’s vehicle to crash near the 55 mile marker.  A subsequent search of the vehicle and surrounding area revealed the firearm used in the robbery, the money taken from the bank, and 15 rounds of ammunition.  Arvest Bank’s deposits were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Reinosa-Salguero’s sentence will be determined by the court at a later date.  In this case, Reinosa-Salguero faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment for the bank robbery and life imprisonment for the use of a firearm.

The investigation was conducted by the Alma Police Department, Arkansas State Police and FBI.  Assistant United States Attorney David Harris is prosecuting the case for the United States.