Amherst bank robber sentenced to probation
1
NORTHAMPTON - A Sunderland man who robbed an Amherst bank for money to support the heroin habits of himself and his accomplice was sentenced Wednesday to five years' probation.
William W. Oldershaw, 25, of 42 Amherst Road, pleaded guilty in Hampshire Superior Court to unarmed robbery in connection with the April 25 theft from a Bank of America branch on South Pleasant Street in Amherst.
According to prosecutor Matthew Thomas, Oldershaw and his accomplice, Shayna Henckel-Miller (who is still awaiting trial), had run out of money for drugs and decided to rob the bank to feed their habits by passing the teller a note, collecting the money and getting in to a waiting cab to make their escape.
The cab was stopped a few minutes later. The pair were arrested and the money was recovered.
Thomas said that the note Oldershaw passed to the teller asked for exactly $249, which she handed over.
Thomas said that Oldershaw demanded that specific amount because he was under the impression that stealing less than $250 would result in a more lenient sentence if he were caught.
Thomas recommended jail time for Oldershaw, noting that he had failed to complete probation for a prior drunken driving conviction, that he "terrified" the bank teller, that he had enough foresight to demand less than $250 and that he arranged to have a cab waiting.
"The greed, avarice and malice to steal this money, we think, warrants incarceration," Thomas said.
Oldershaw's court-appointed attorney, Jonah Goldsmith, said his client's decision to rob that bank was the "act of a desperate man." Since then Oldershaw has been making great progress in the Phoenix House treatment program, Goldsmith said. "We're not talking about Bonnie and Clyde here," Goldsmith said.
Judge Mary-Lou Rup sentenced Oldershaw to five years' probation on the conditions that he continue substance abuse and mental health counseling, remain in the Phoenix House and that he stay away from the bank and teller.
"I'm going to take a chance on you," Rup told Oldershaw before imposing sentence and wishing him good luck.
