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Timothy Shane Mitchell, 39, of Kountze, pleaded guilty to bank robbery and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison on Halloween by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.
According to information presented in court, on June 6, 2022, Mitchell robbed the Lumberton branch of the CommunityBank of Texas. Mitchell approached a teller’s station at the bank and gave the teller a note demanding money. Mitchell told the teller he had a gun, which he threatened to use if she alerted authorities. The teller gave Mitchell a stack of currency and he left the bank. The teller immediately activated the panic button alerting police to the robbery. Witnesses were able to describe Mitchell’s vehicle, which was apprehended shortly after the robbery. Mitchell was arrested and the $5,860 in currency taken from the bank was recovered at that time.
According to Lumberton Police Chief Danny Sullins, Mitchell was apprehended when Lumberton Police Department Sgt. Dale Tinsley located a vehicle matching the description of the robber’s heading northbound on U.S. 69 at the CVS Pharmacy shortly thereafter.
“It was within minutes after the robbery,” Sullins noted. “The suspect said, ‘I’m who you’re looking for.’”
“The suspect was very cooperative and didn’t give us any trouble at all,” the police chief added. “He didn’t give us any trouble physically and, when he was ordered to step out the vehicle, he was very compliant. He has remorse.”
When asked why Mitchell robbed the bank, Sullins said the suspect told investigators that he “needed the money.”
The chief said this was the first-ever bank robbery in the city’s history.
This was the second time Mitchell was arrested on robbery charges. In January 2015, Mitchell was arrested for felony aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, by the Hudson Police Department. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to state prison.
Mitchell has a history of offenses dating back to March 2002, according to a criminal history search through the Texas Department of Public Safety. In 2002, he was arrested and charged with burglary of a building, a second-degree felony. His second arrest was nearly two years later, by the Woodville Police Department for felony drug possession, then again six months later by the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office.
HCSO arrested Mitchell on April 24, 2005, on another felony drug possession charge and possession of marijuana. Four days later, he was charged with felony deadly conduct (discharging a firearm at individuals).
In January 2009, the future bank robber was arrested by the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office for felony fraud but, 10 months later, the Lufkin Police Department took Mitchell into custody on a misdemeanor assault charge.
Jan. 20, 2012, Mitchell was arrested again on felony drug charges by HCSO; and, in December 2014, the perpetual inmate was arrested for misdemeanor theft by the Lufkin Police Department.