Man charged with robbing bank, stealing getaway car

SALT LAKE CITY — A man charged Wednesday with robbing a Wells Fargo Bank also was charged with stealing his getaway car from an 83-year-old man at gunpoint the night before.

Prosecutors say an armed man entered the bank at 235 S. 1300 East Tuesday with a note stating, "Give me the money and no one gets shot! Calmly!" according to charges filed in U.S. District Court.

After handing the note to a teller and revealing what appeared to be a handgun in his waistband, the man was given cash and fled the bank about 9:45 a.m. Surveillance footage shows the gunman getting into a white sedan prior to and after the robbery.

Police received a tip from an 83-year-old man who saw robbery footage on television and said the same man had stolen his car the night before. The victim and a female companion had just left the movie theater at Jordan Commons, 9335 S. State, when they were approached by an armed man demanding the keys to their white Camry, Sandy police said. When the victim refused, the gunman fired a shot into the air and was then given the keys, police said.

Officers received additional tips identifying the gunman as William Lee Mossman. Detectives tracked Mossman on Wednesday to an apartment complex at 860 E. 300 South. He was found asleep in the stolen Camry, the complaint states.

A search of the vehicle revealed two black "airsoft" guns, numerous shotgun shells and clothing that matched the description of clothes worn by the bank robbery suspect.

The complaint states that Mossman admitted to both the carjacking and bank robbery. Mossman faces up to 25 years in prison for armed robbery and 15 years for carjacking.

— Lana Groves