KC man sentenced for bank robbery and attempted casino robbery

A 63-year-old Kansas City man who threatened to blow up a bank and a casino with nitroglycerin was sentenced Monday to more that 16 years in federal prison.

James T. Smith was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Kansas City where he was found guilty last November of bank robbery and attempted robbery of the casino.

According to testimony at his trial, Smith, who had a previous conviction for bank robbery in Wisconsin, robbed a Commerce Bank branch on the Country Club Plaza on May 18, 2013. The next morning, he attempted to rob a cashier at the Isle of Capri Casino in Kansas City, North.

In both cases, Smith used a note to demand money and threatened to blow up the buildings if his demands were not met.

Tony Rizzo, trizzo@kcstar.com

This story was originally published August 10, 2015 at 3:31 PM with the headline "KC man sentenced for bank robbery and attempted casino robbery."