Vermillion, South Dakota Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery

U.S. Attorney’s OfficeJanuary 03, 2012

A man who robbed a Nebraska bank pled guilty December 28, 2011, in federal court in Sioux City.

Karlis Baisden, 23, from Vermillion, South Dakota, was convicted of bank robbery.

At the plea hearing, Baisden admitted that on December 14, 2010, he robbed the Cedar Security Bank in Fordyce, Nebraska. Baisden got away with approximately $19,000. On April 6, 2011, a search warrant was executed at Baisden’s residence, a mobile home located in Vermillion, South Dakota. Among the things found and seized from Baisden’s bedroom were: black watch cap-style hats, a dark blue or black “hoodie” jacket, dark jeans, and a neoprene ski mask. Each of these items closely matched items worn by the Fordyce robber. Also during the search of Baisden’s residence, law enforcement seized letters written by Baisden wherein he admitted to robbing the bank in Fordyce, Nebraska and the intent to rob a bank in Lawton, Iowa. Baisden had previously pleaded guilty to the Lawton robbery.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Baisden remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. On the bank robbery conviction, Baisden faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a special assessment of $100, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s office and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, the Cedar County, Nebraska, Sheriff’s Office, and the Vermillion, South Dakota Police Department.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 11-4150.

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