U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
Southern District of Mississippi
188 East Capitol Street, Suite 500
Jackson, Mississippi 39201

Jackson, Miss - Dunn Lampton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, announced today that Langcola Mouton, a resident of Lafayette, Louisiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee to 60 months imprisonment followed by four years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,043.35 and a $1,000.00 fine. Mouton pled guilty in March, to an indictment charging her with bank robbery with the use of a dangerous weapon. Mouton pled guilty to taking part in the armed bank robbery of BankPlus in Clinton, Mississippi, on December 20, 2007. Her co-defendant, Christopher Lamont Tarrio, pled guilty to bank robbery with the use of a dangerous weapon and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Tarrio will be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee on July 11, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. The maximum penalty for bank robbery with the use of a dangerous weapon is twenty-five years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. Tarrio’s bank robbery sentence will run consecutively with a 7 year mandatory sentence for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

On December 20, 2007, Christopher Lamont Tarrio, along with Langcola Mouton and an unidentified male, drove a white Toyota Camry to the BankPlus located at 217 Clinton Boulevard, in Clinton, Mississippi. On arrival, Mouton stayed in the car as the getaway driver, while Tarrio and the unidentified male robbed the bank. Tarrio and the unidentified male entered the bank wearing ski masks and carrying a .40 caliber Glock and a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol.

Once inside, Tarrio jumped the counter, ordered everyone to get on the ground and took $31,950.00. During this time, the unidentified male called out the time in order for them to leave the bank within 45 seconds. Afterwards, they exited the bank, got into the getaway car and fled the scene of the crime. Shortly thereafter, Mouton wrecked the getaway car while several law enforcement agencies were pursuing them. Tarrio and Mouton feld on foot and were arrested by the Clinton Police Department and the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Law enforcement agents recovered a .40 caliber Glock pistol and $30,907.00, from the surrounding area. The unidentified male is currently being pursed by both federal and state law enforcement agencies.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Abdalla.

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