Houston Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Federal Prison for Bank Robbery

Michael Raymond Karras, a 65-year-old man, has been sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for a bank robbery in the Eastern District of Texas, as announced by U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.

Karras pleaded guilty to the charges and received his sentence from U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on January 9, 2024. The incident in question took place on June 6, 2023, when Karras robbed the Chase Bank on Eastex Freeway in Beaumont.

Court proceedings revealed that shortly after the robbery, Karras was located at a nearby convenience store, donning a trench coat and driving the vehicle matching the description from the crime. Upon detaining Karras and obtaining consent to search his vehicle, law enforcement officers discovered $2,870.00 in cash and the handwritten note used in the robbery.

The investigation into this case was carried out by the Beaumont Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte.