A Utah man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City for allegedly attempting to rob First Utah Bank. Christopher Thomas Kirby, 37, from West Valley City, was initially charged on March 19, 2025.
Court documents reveal that on the same day at approximately 1:32 p.m., Kirby reportedly handed a note to a bank teller demanding money and claiming he had a bomb. The note read, “this is a robbery I have a bomb on my [sic] that will explode I need 20,000 in bag.” The teller triggered the silent alarm and contacted authorities while pretending to retrieve the money from the vault. Officers arrived promptly and arrested Kirby.
Kirby faces one count of attempted bank robbery. His initial court appearance took place on March 26, 2025, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah. The investigation is being conducted by an FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Violent Crimes squad and the West Valley City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda is handling the prosecution.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America, which aims to combat illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime. The initiative utilizes resources from various Department of Justice programs including Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.