Waco Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Armed Bank Robberies in Temple and Hewitt

In Waco today, a federal judge sentenced 25-year-old Dallas Scott Bohanan to life in federal prison for committing two armed bank robberies, one of which resulted in Bohanan firing his weapon at a police officer, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.

On May 14, 2019, Bohanan pleaded guilty to three counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and two counts of bank robbery.

U.S. District Judge Alan Albright sentenced Bohanan to life imprisonment on each of the firearms charges to run concurrent with each other.  Judge Albright also sentenced Bohanan to 97 months imprisonment on each of the bank robbery charges to run concurrent with each other, but consecutive to the life sentence previously mentioned.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Albright ordered that Bohanan pay a $250,000 fine and $12,130.46 in restitution.

“We will not tolerate attacks on police officers.  I am proud of the work our prosecutors did to put this offender behind bars for life,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

By pleading guilty, Bohanan admitted to robbing the Temple Santa Fe Community Credit Union located on West Avenue A in Temple on November 23, 2016, and stealing approximately $4,550 cash.  He also admitted to robbing the Pointwest Bank located on North Hewitt Drive in Hewitt on February 5, 2019, and stealing approximately $3,500 cash.  Bohanan further admitted to discharging firearms during those two bank robberies as well as during a third bank robbery on November 15, 2016, at the Chase Bank on North New Road in Waco.

According to court records, as he exited the Pointwest Bank on February 5, 2019, Bohanan fired at least two rounds in the direction of a responding law enforcement officer.  Bohanan left the scene in what authorities believe was the same vehicle used in the previous armed bank robberies.  A vehicle chase ensued from Hewitt to Waco.  During the pursuit, Bohanan allegedly fired two shotgun rounds at a chasing police vehicle.  One of those rounds struck an officer in the arm.  Bohanan ultimately lost control of his vehicle and crashed.  He managed to leave the crash site on foot, but was later apprehended by Waco Police officers.

“The defendant's actions demonstrated a callous disregard for human life. The life sentence handed down today will prevent him from harming and victimizing our community,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Combs.

The FBI together with the Hewitt, Temple and Waco Police Departments investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.