New Franklin Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Bank Robbery

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A New Franklin, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court to attempting to rob a local bank but being foiled when the front door was locked.

Jacob Lowell Hessing, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr. on Thursday, Aug. 22, to one count of attempted bank robbery. Hessing has been detained in federal custody since his arrest.

By pleading guilty, Hessing admitted that he attempted to rob Exchange Bank of Missouri in New Franklin on Sept. 9, 2023.

According to today's plea agreement, the Howard County, Mo., Sheriff's Department received calls from concerned citizens about a masked man dressed in black walking in downtown New Franklin, which has a population of about 1,000 residents. The man, later identified as Hessing, was reportedly carrying an AR-style rifle and attempted to enter Exchange Bank of Missouri. On Saturdays, however, the bank's lobby is open by appointment only, and the outer door is locked.

Surveillance video showed Hessing walk to the bank and attempt to open the lobby door. He then got back into a red Chevy Equinox, which drove off at a high rate of speed. Investigators traced the vehicle to Hessing and executed a search warrant at his residence (about a block and a half from the bank) on Oct. 30, 2023. Federal agents found a Diamondback rifle, hidden in the basement, with a loaded magazine capable of holding more than 40 5.56mm cartridges, which was consistent with the weapon Hessing carried when he attempted to rob the bank. Ammunition also was found in the kitchen utensil drawer and several cartridges for the Diamondback rifle were found in the Equinox. Under the terms of today's plea agreement, Hessing must forfeit the Diamondback rifle to the government.

Under federal statutes, Hessing is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. 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 Melissa A. Pierce. It was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Howard County, Mo., Sheriff's Department.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.