Iowa City man previously convicted in bank robbery, now faces up to 60 years in 2 more

CEDAR RAPIDS — An Iowa City man, who was convicted in March for robbing the Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust on Council Street in state court, pleaded to two additional robberies in federal court Tuesday.

Andrew Philip Derr, 22, who also lived in Fredrick, Md., was convicted of two counts of interference of commerce by robbery and one count of money laundering. He faces up to 60 years in federal prison.

According to the plea agreement, Derr was discharged from the military for misconduct in 2023 and he moved to Iowa City and started committing a series of robberies in the Cedar Rapids and Robins.

Derr admitted to robbing a Casey’s store in Robins on Dec. 27, 2023, according to the plea agreement. He stole over $7,000 from the store. He wore a black medical mask, dark hoodie, camo-colored hat, yellow gloves, gray pants and boots and carried a black trash bag and what appeared to be a black handgun, the plea stated.

He pointed the gun at the employees and made them put money and cigarettes into the bag. Derr also had one of the workers open the safe under the counter and put additional money in his bag, according to the plea. He also stole some bottles of alcohol.

As Derr was leaving the store, he pulled the trigger of the gun, which didn’t discharge, according to the plea. One of the employees familiar with guns, said it didn’t sound like a real firearm hammer falling on an empty chamber.

On Dec. 28, 2023, officers used a K-9 unit to attempt to track Derr, according to the plea. He apparently dropped stolen items, leading a path from Casey’s to where Derr’s cellphone was found.

The plea included an example of Derr’s bank records with three deposits into an account.

On Dec. 31, 2024, Derr attempted to purchase a handgun with completed firearm form at the Fin and Feather store in Iowa City, according to the plea. The instant record check resulted in a denial.

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Then on Jan. 1, 2024, he robbed a Kum & Go store on Four Oaks Drive in Cedar Rapids. He stole $245, the plea stated. He was wearing a black sweatshirt, ball cap, gloves and a black medical mask was covering his face.

He brandished a gun, matching the description of one used in the Casey’s robbery. He used a black duffel bag in this robbery to hold cash stolen from this store. He also took some tobacco products and other items near the register.

On Jan. 3, 2024, Derr robbed the Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust branch on Council Street in Cedar Rapids, where he stole over $16,000 in cash. He was convicted in Linn County District Court in March and sentenced to 20 years in prison. He must serve 10 years before being eligible for parole.

After each robbery he laundered the stolen money by making multiple deposits into his Maryland Bank account to conceal the illegal funds, according to a plea agreement.

After the Cedar Rapids bank robbery, he flew to Maryland and made two deposits totaling over $4,800, according to the plea. When the U.S. Marshals Service tried to arrest Derr at his Iowa City apartment, they found a note stating, “Catch me if you can … You shouldn’t have let me go the 1st time.”

On Jan. 24, 2024, Derr turned himself into a police station in New Orleans, La., according to the plea.

U.S. District Chief Judge C.J. Williams will sentence Derr after a presentence report is completed. Derr remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals pending sentencing. He faces up to 60 years in federal prison and three years of supervised release following his prison term. He also will be required to pay victim restitution.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Reinert and was investigated by the FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service’s Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force; Cedar Rapids and Robins police departments; Linn County Attorney’s Office; University of Iowa Police Department; and Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana.

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