AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — According to recent court documents, an Amarillo man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal charges related to a string of armed robberies that occurred in the area between August 2021 and January 2023.

Amarillo Federal Court documents filed last week read that Shane Ray Bursie of Amarillo pleaded guilty to both charges for which he was indicted, one count of “Affecting Commerce by Robbery” and one count of “Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of Violence.”

Court documents said that the indictment and plea agreement came after a joint investigation by the FBI and the Amarillo Police Department into a series of armed robberies that occurred in the Amarillo area. Bursie was accused of being responsible for multiple robberies, including an October 2022 robbery at a Family Dollar Store in which Bursie allegedly stole more than $1,300 in cash, broke a window while shooting at a fleeing customer, and threatened to return and shoot a store employee.

Law enforcement carried out a search warrant at Bursie’s Amarillo home on Jan. 13, 2023, according to court documents, during which officers reported finding the gun that was fired during the October 2022 robbery as well as the clothing Bursie had been seen wearing during the incident.

Also on Jan. 13, as noted in previous reports on MyHighPlains.com, Bursie was arrested in connection to two other armed robberies that had occurred on that same day at a Dollar General location and a Sonic Drive-In location.

In the plea agreement, documents said that Bursie could face a range of penalties for both charges, including:

• “Affecting Commerce by Robbery”
  • A prison sentence of up to 20 years;
  • A fine of up to $250,000; and
  • Forfeiture of property.
• “Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of Violence”
  • A prison sentence of at least 10 years, not concurrent with any other prison term;
  • A fine of up to $250,000; and
  • Forfeiture of property.

Court documents further noted that Bursie’s sentencing was set for March 2024.