KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
Jamal L. Vassie, 27, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 11 years in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 16, 2016, Vassie was convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit robbery, the armed robbery of Public Storage at 9820 Holmes, Kansas City, Mo., and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Vassie is the third defendant to be sentenced in this case. Randolph E. Wells, 31, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced on Sept. 18, 2015, to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Gary S. Dorch, 23, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced on July 22, 2015, to five years in federal prison without parole. Sergio A. Rascoe, 30, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
According to testimony during the trial, Vassie initially told his co-conspirators that he wanted to rob a bank. When Rascoe indicated he was uncomfortable robbing a bank with Dorch, whom he did not know, the decision was made to “audition” Dorch with a different robbery. Vassie and his co-conspirators drove to a car wash, where Rascoe pointed a firearm at a victim and demanded she turn over her car keys. Rascoe drove off in the victim’s vehicle, a Chrysler Sebring.
Rascoe and Dorch then used the stolen vehicle to commit the armed robbery at Public Storage. During the robbery, Dorch went into Public Storage and held the clerk at gunpoint while he demanded cash, the clerk’s wallet and the clerk’s cellphone.
Vassie and Wells were waiting a short distance away during the robbery, so that they could be available to pick up Rascoe and Dorch if they were involved in a pursuit with the police and had to abandon the stolen vehicle. Vassie and Wells were apprehended immediately after the robbery occurred, while Rascoe and Dorch led police officers on an extended chase through residential neighborhoods. Rascoe, who was driving the stolen vehicle, collided with a truck and they were both apprehended.
According to court documents, Vassie, Wells, and Rascoe participated in the robbery of five hotels, two storage facilities, a cellphone store, a bank, and three carjackings. Vassie had been on parole for four months at the time of this offense for a prior state conviction for the armed robbery of a Papa John’s Pizza.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Edwards and Matthew A. Moeder. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.