November 30, 2018—Officials sentenced a Kansas City, Missouri man in federal court on Nov. 14 for a series of armed robberies.
U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark sentenced Roy L. House Jr. to 30 years in federal prison without parole.
Roy L. House Jr., Curlie Pruitt III
On March 20, House pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and to brandishing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. Co-defendant Curlie Pruitt III, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to the same charges. Officials sentenced Pruitt on Sept. 13, to 10 years and nine months in federal prison without parole.
House and Pruitt both admitted they participated in a conspiracy to rob four businesses at gunpoint in December 2016. They stole $500 and at least one carton of cigars, as well as $150 from an employee, from Road Star Gas Station, 11100 E. US 40 Hwy., Independence. They stole $200 and an undetermined number of cigars, as well as an employee’s wallet, from Beeline Mini-Mart, 1005 Isley Blvd., Excelsior Springs. They stole $300, as well as $200 from an employee, from Discount Smokes, 4718 N.E. Vivion Rd., Kansas City, Missouri. They also robbed the Phillips 66 Gas Station at 3636 Randolph Road, Randolph.
House and Pruitt also admitted they used an American Tactical .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun during those robberies.
Police officials arrested House and Pruitt on Dec. 20, 2016. An employee at the Super 8 Hotel, 4031 S. Lynn Court Drive contacted Independence police officers regarding two men–later identified as Pruitt and House—for acting suspiciously. The employee said he feared the men planned to rob the hotel. They left the hotel but returned at approximately 9:05 p.m.
When officers arrived at the hotel, House and Pruitt sat in a blue Ford 500 and were leaving the area, with Pruitt driving. A police officer initiated a traffic stop but Pruitt accelerated the vehicle and drove through the parking lot of the Quik Trip at 4024 S. Noland Road. As Pruitt’s vehicle continued at a high rate of speed through the parking lot, traveling toward S. Noland Road, it collided head-on with the patrol vehicle of another officer responding to assist, disabling both vehicles.
Pruitt immediately attempted to exit his vehicle but became trapped by a third police vehicle that pinned the driver’s side door closed. After arresting Pruitt and House, officers found the loaded American Tactical .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun on the floorboard of the front passenger seat area.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated along with the Independence Police Department, the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Excelsior Springs Police Department.