Poker-playing bank robber with a gambling plan pleads guilty

A bank robber must have thought he was being clever by getting his head and beard shaved after the heist to change his appearance.

It didn’t work.

Joshua Aaron Hoover, 34, pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to robbing the Arvest Bank at 8959 E. U.S. 40 back in February.

According to court documents, Hoover approached a teller and twice threatened to shoot her in the face if she did not put $5,800 in an envelope.

Hoover then fled on foot, with the money, and ran to Stadium Cuts at 3300 S. Blue Ridge Cutoff in Independence. Out of breath, he told the barber to cut off most of his hair and beard. He then bought a hat for $20 and changed his clothes in the bathroom.

Hoover later told investigators he stopped a stranger and gave the driver a wad of $100 bills from the bank take to drive him to an area near his house.

The FBI put out surveillance images, and Hoover was arrested at the Ameristar Casino where he was preparing to enter a poker tournament. Hoover admitted to police his plan was to launder the bank money at the casino because he was afraid the serial numbers could be traced.

Hoover could get 20 years without parole in a federal prison.

This story was originally published December 6, 2017 at 4:07 PM with the headline "Poker-playing bank robber with a gambling plan pleads guilty."