Two plead guilty in January Bank of America robbery

Two defendants involved in the Jan. 12 robbery of Cape Girardeau's Bank of America pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court.

Dareme P. Tipler, 25, of Sikeston, Mo., pleaded guilty to a felony count of using a firearm in connection with a bank robbery. He had previously pleaded guilty to a count of armed bank robbery.

Corey Lyons, 30, of Charleston, Mo., pleaded guilty to a felony count of bank robbery and a felony count of possessing a firearm during a violent crime.

Two other suspects, Toria Lawrence of Sikeston and Derek Riggs of Bloomfield, Ill., each pleaded guilty May 4. Lawrence pleaded guilty to bank robbery; Riggs to bank robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

Tipler faces a maximum punishment of 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Lyons faces a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. They are scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 14.

According to the court, the four met early in the morning Jan. 12 in Sikeston to talk about robbing a bank in a nearby city. They eventually agreed to go to Cape Girardeau and decided that the Bank of America would be a good target.

Lawrence agreed to go inside the bank and check the activities, then report back to the group. After she did, the group decided to rob the bank that morning.

According to the court, they got away with slightly over $10,000.

Lawrence was arrested shortly after the robbery. She confessed and turned over $139, her share of the take. Riggs, Tipler and Lyons were captured a few days later in Washington state.