Sparta man sentenced for bank robberies

A Sparta man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for robbing two banks in Nixa and Ozark, according to news release from Beth Phillips, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

Joshua Caprarella, 29, was handed a sentence of five years in federal prison without parole.

Caprarella pleaded guilty March 1 to robbing Great Southern Bank, 717 W. Mount Vernon St. in Nixa. At the time of the robbery, Caprarella was on bond and awaiting sentencing on a separate bank robbery of Bank Midwest, 2004 W. Marler Lane in Ozark, according to the release.

Caprarella admitted to robbing the Great Southern branch on May 6, 2010, when he entered the bank and presented a note to a teller, demanding cash. Caprarella was immediately arrested outside of the bank after a police officer approached him and he threw the money into the air.

Caprarella also admitted he robbed Bank Midwest by presenting a note to the bank teller which demanded money, the release said.

The cases were prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Oliver and were investigated by the FBI, the Nixa Police Department, the Ozark Police Department and the Christian County Sheriff’s Department.[[In-content Ad]]