Cameron Thomas pleads guilty to bank robberies

Jun 08, 2023

Cameron Arthur Thomas

A Florissant man has pleaded guilty to robbing an Imperial bank twice, a south St. Louis County bank once and leading Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a chase, shooting at an officer and barricading himself in a woman’s High Ridge apartment in October 2020. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 9, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported.

On Aug. 14, Cameron Arthur Thomas, 31, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry to two counts of armed bank robbery, bank robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Each of the armed bank robbery charges carries a penalty of up to 25 years in prison; the bank robbery charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison; brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime is punishable by seven years to life in prison; discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime carries a penalty of 10 years to life in prison; and being a felon in possession of a firearm is punishable by 10 to 15 years in prison.

Court documents show prosecutors are recommending Thomas be sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Thomas said his bank robbery spree began on Oct. 24, 2020, when he entered the First Community State Bank, 4555 Old Hwy. 21, in Imperial dressed in women’s clothing and put a note on the counter that said, “Put money in the bag.” He gave the bank teller a brown paper bag to put the money in and left with $4,750, according to his plea agreement.

On Oct. 27, 2020, Thomas entered the Electro Savings Credit Union, 12400 Tesson Ferry Road, in south St. Louis County wearing women’s clothing and pointed a gun at a teller. He told the teller, “Give me all your money,” and put the money in a purse, stealing $14,312 from the bank, the report said.

Thomas returned to the Imperial First Community State Bank on Oct. 28, 2020, wearing a red coat, black pants and a surgical mask. He pointed a pistol at an employee and said, “This is a robbery; put your hands up,” according to the report.

Thomas gave the employee a plastic bag to put the money in, but a different employee who entered the bank during the robbery had to open the teller drawer. Thomas stole $4,620 from the bank, including a bundle of money with pre-recorded serial numbers, the report said.

A Jefferson County deputy was near the bank when an employee reported the robbery. He saw Thomas driving a gray Mercedes with an Illinois license plate and fleeing from the bank, according to the report.

The deputy pursued the Mercedes onto northbound Hwy. 21, and Thomas turned onto Hwy. 141 and traveled toward St. Louis County, the Sheriff’s Office reported in 2020.

Thomas then headed onto westbound Hwy. 30 toward High Ridge. A deputy put down a pair of spike strips on the highway, which disabled the car, and Thomas got out of the car and ran to Emerson Road and into the Walden Pond Apartment complex off Walden Lane, according to the probable-cause statement in the case.

Thomas allegedly fired one shot at deputies while running toward the apartment complex, and the deputy then returned fire, the report said.

Thomas then began banging on doors in an apartment building, and one woman opened her door to find out what was going on. Thomas pointed a gun at her face and forced his way into her apartment, the report said.

He took the woman into a bedroom in the apartment, and when police knocked on apartment doors searching for Thomas, he allegedly told the woman to answer the door and tell the deputies she was the only person in the apartment. The woman answered the door, and deputies asked if anyone else was in the apartment. The woman said no, while nodding her head yes.

Deputies pulled the woman out of the apartment and continued to knock on the front door, the agreement said.

Thomas changed into some of the woman’s clothes before deputies entered the apartment and arrested him. Deputies found the clothes Thomas was wearing while robbing the bank and a .9-milimeter Jiminez Arms pistol in the apartment, the report said.

Deputies also recovered the money stolen from the bank, including the money with pre-recorded serial numbers, according to the report.

Before the bank robberies, St. Louis County Police found a gun inside a car Thomas was driving following an accident on Oct. 22, 2020. Thomas was driving an Infinity G35 that hit another vehicle, and before police arrived, he put an AK-47-style rifle in the car’s trunk, the plea agreement said.

Officers found the rifle, which had Chinese proof markings, in the trunk, according to the report

Thomas had pleaded guilty to at least three felonies stemming from previous offenses and was on five years’ probation at the time of the robberies and when the gun was found in the Infinity, court records show.

In October 2019, Thomas had pleaded guilty to second-degree assault stemming from a 2018 incident in St. Louis County. His sentence was suspended, and he was placed on probation, court documents said.

In May 2012, Thomas pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery and felony resisting arrest tied to a 2011 incident in St. Louis County. He had been sentenced to 10 years in prison, but he was released early, according to court documents.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

Receive classifieds every morning.

Receive an email every Wednesday when the Leader's e-editions are posted online.

Get updated on upcoming Leader Senior Expos and news just for seniors.

Get the latest headlines on local sports in your inbox on every Friday.

Receive top local news headlines every day.

Receive a list of local obituaries every day.