An Oklahoma man who pleaded to federal counts of bank robbery after allegedly stealing fuel from a Kansas state vehicle and then leading a pursuit involving Emporia Police officers and Lyon County deputies over a year ago has been sentenced to prison for the robberies.
Jerry Ray Brown was sentenced to four years and three months in prison for two counts of robbery. The sentence is concurrent, meaning Brown will serve time for both counts simultaneously. Following his prison term will be three years total of supervised release. Brown is responsible for paying almost $260,000 in restitution.
Brown, age 45, admitted to two counts of robbery through intimidation back in March, according to the US Attorney’s Office in Tulsa. Brown admitted to robbing banks in Skiatook and Sperry as part of separate incidents in 2020, taking almost $320,000 total after demanding bank employees to take him to their vaults and to open their ATMs.
In October 2021, Brown allegedly tried to take fuel from a Kansas Department of Transportation tractor before leading a chase from south of the Emporia Municipal Airport into south Emporia. He was eventually arrested and charged with flee and elude, fuel theft and other charges.
A former firefighter, Brown was initially facing state robbery charges in Oklahoma, but those were dropped early last year as the case went to federal court. Kansas charges are pending through Lyon County District Court.
