Defendant Gary Kent Peterson was convicted of Robbery in the Third Degree and Theft in the Second Degree after a trial on August 19, 2014, for the robbery of a local bank on June 16, 2014. Deputy District Attorney Kandy Gies prosecuted the case with the assistance of the Bend Police Department, the Stayton Police Department and employees of the bank. The defendant was found guilty by Judge Michael Adler, who noted despite the defendant being “polite” the defendant’s conduct and actions constituted robbery. The defendant was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison with 24 months post-prison supervision.
On June 16th, 2014, in Deschutes County Oregon, the defendant, Gary Peterson, entered Columbia Bank at approximately 0940. He left the bank less than one minute later with cash. While inside the bank the defendant walked up to a teller’s desk and sat down. There was no glass or other partition separating the defendant and the teller. The defendant leaned forward and in a very low voice said: “I need you to do me a favor;” “I need you to pull out all the money in your drawer, starting with the 100’s”; and “Do not push any buttons or alarms.” Once the teller had handed over the money as demanded by the defendant, he immediately left the bank. The entire transaction took less than one minute.
Immediately after the defendant had taken the money and left the bank, the teller called 911 to report she had just been robbed. The teller was so terrified and shaken-up she had difficulty speaking to the dispatch operator. She was able to briefly relay information about the robbery and what the suspect looked like. Officers, with the assistance of the Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office and the Stayton Police Department, later apprehended the defendant in Stayton, Oregon, with marked bills taken from the bank in his possession.
District Attorney Patrick Flaherty stated, “I’m proud of the successful prosecution of this case and the continuing collaboration between our office, law enforcement and the community.”