KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Maitland, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to robbing banks in St. Joseph, Missouri, and Kansas City, Missouri.

Nicholas Lehman, 39, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to two counts of bank robbery.

By pleading guilty today, Lehman admitted that he stole $4,450 from Citizen’s Bank and Trust, 5305 N. Belt Hwy., St. Joseph, on March 18, 2019. Lehman also admitted that he stole $1,940 from National American Savings Bank, 7012 N.W. Barry Rd., Kansas City, on March 20, 2019.

Lehman admitted that he approached the teller at Citizen’s Bank and Trust and gave her a handwritten note that demanded money, stated he had a gun, and claimed the teller’s family was being held hostage. Lehman, who didn’t exhibit a gun during the incident, told the teller to give him all of her money. The teller emptied her drawer and gave him $4,450.

Lehman did not conceal his face during the robbery and his image was captured by the bank’s surveillance system. Photos of Lehman were broadcast to the public through local news stations. Several individuals who knew him contacted the FBI and stated they believed he was the person responsible for the robberies.

Two days later, Lehman approached the teller’s counter at National American Savings Bank and gave the teller a note that read, “This is a robbery. NO ALARMS INK PACKS ALL BIG BILLS and NO ONE gets hurt. 5 minutes before ALARM someone is watching your family or they all get….. For an amount of 10,000.” The teller told Lehman she didn’t have that much cash, but emptied her drawer. Lehman grabbed the money and ran out of the bank.

The next day, on March 21, 2019, law enforcement officers attempted to apprehend Lehman, who was driving a 2011 Ford Edge, near the Kansas City International Airport. Lehman refused to stop and a high-speed chase ensued. Lehman stopped his car in Kansas City, Kansas, and fled on foot. He was eventually apprehended and arrested.

Under federal statutes, Lehman is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on each of the two counts. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Moeder. It was investigated by the FBI, the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.