Arkansas man pleads guilty to series of armed robberies

KCK store one of a dozen robbed

An Arkansas man pleaded guilty in federal court today in Jefferson City, Mo., to a string of armed robberies in five states.

The man also admitted to robbing a retail store in Kansas City, Kan., the former Payless ShoeSource at 7714 State Ave., on July 26, 2013, according to federal authorities.

Timothy Patrick Hoyt, 45, Bella Vista, Ark., pleaded guilty to a series of a dozen armed robberies at a Missouri bank and 11 other businesses across five states in 2013, according to Tammy Dickinson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

By pleading guilty today, Hoyt admitted that he used what appeared to be a handgun (but which later was identified as a .177-caliber pellet or BB gun) to rob a bank in Missouri and 10 other businesses, including eight fast food restaurants, across five states between June 26 and Aug. 6, 2013.

Hoyt pleaded guilty to all four counts of the indictment filed in the Western District of Missouri. Hoyt stole $5,123 from Alliant Bank, 118 Main St., Blackwater, Mo., on June 26, 2013, with what appeared to be a handgun. Hoyt also used what appeared to be a handgun to rob the Subway restaurant at 330 N. Massey Blvd., Nixa, Mo., on July 12, 2013; the Subway restaurant at 1820 W. 32nd St., Joplin, Mo., on July 14, 2013; and the Sally Beauty Supply Store at 2007-C W. Foxwood Dr., Raymore, Mo., on Aug. 6, 2013.

Hoyt also pleaded guilty to using what appeared to be a handgun to rob the Subway restaurant at 715 N. G Street, Wellington, Kan., on July 17, 2013; the Domino’s Pizza Restaurant at 1108 S. Minnesota Ave., Sioux Falls, S. D., on July 19, 2013; the Subway restaurant at 1116 E. 10th St., Sioux Falls on July 20, 2013; the Godfather’s Pizza restaurant at 15234 W. Maple Rd., Omaha, Neb., on July 23, 2013; and the Arby’s restaurant at 6919 S. Lewis Ave., Tulsa, Okla., on July 27, 2013.

In addition to those robberies with which Hoyt has been charged, he also admitted that he used what appeared to be a handgun to rob the Papa Murphy’s Pizza restaurant at 302 W. 28th St., Sioux City, Iowa, on July 21, 2013; the Payless ShoeSource store at 7714 State Ave., Kansas City, Kan., on July 26, 2013; and the Papa Murphy’s Pizza restaurant at 3418 8th St. S.W., Altoona, Iowa, on Aug. 7, 2013.

Hoyt was arrested after robbing the Papa Murphy’s Pizza restaurant in Altoona. According to today’s plea agreement, he told law enforcement officers that he shoplifted the pellet gun from a Walmart store near Blackwater before using it to rob Alliant Bank.