Royston found guilty in Essex, Morley bank robberies

A St. Louis man has been found guilty in two area bank robberies.

After a one-day jury trial, Tyrice G. Royston, 36, was found guilty in federal court this week of one count of bank robbery by force of violence in the March 2014 robbery of the First Commercial Bank in Essex, according to a news release from the federal prosecutor's office in Cape Girardeau.

On May 13, a federal jury found Royston guilty in the May 20, 2014, robbery of the First Commercial Bank of Morley, Mo.

Both First Commercial Banks are owned by Dexter businessman, Norman B. Harty.

Trotter

Royston, Pamela Lathon and Alexander Trotter were charged in the Morley robbery.

Royston, Lathon and Christopher Booker were charged in the Essex robbery.

The trial testimony established about 11:25 a.m. March 17, 2014, Royston and Christopher Booker entered the First Commercial Bank in Essex, leaped over the counter and forced the tellers to the floor, securing the tellers' wrists with zip ties. One of the tellers suffered a fracture to her vertebra during the attack.The two men opened the tellers' cash drawers, placed the money in a bag and left the bank with $34,000.

A federal jury found Royston guilty of robbing the First Commercial Bank of Morley on May 20, 2014. Shortly after Royston robbed the Bank of Morley, a Missouri State Highway Patrol Officer stopped the getaway vehicle in Stoddard County and arrested Royston, Pamela Lathon and Alexander Trotter. Evidence of the bank robbery was found in the car, including all of the stolen bank money.

Evidence of the robbery, including the stolen money, was found in the car.

Lathon, Booker and Trotter all have pleaded guilty.

Trotter was sentenced in October to 97 months in federal prison; Lathon and Booker are awaiting sentencing.

Royston faces a punishment of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the robberies. His sentencing has been set for Aug. 25, 2015.

Lathon

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Keith D. Sorrell and John N. Koester, Jr. handled the prosecution for the Government.