CLIFFORD COURT UPTEGROVE, 41, of Vancouver, Washington, was sentenced in Seattle today to 248 months is prison and 5 years of supervised release for Armed Bank Robbery and Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. In sentencing UPTEGROVE to the lengthy sentence U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman noted that it was a horrible crime that had traumatized the victims.

UPTEGROVE was arrested March 25, 2004, following a robbery at the Riverview Community Bank in Hazell Dell, Washington. Witnesses spotted UPTEGROVE putting his bicycle into a van. Thinking he was stealing the bike, the witnesses called police. In fact UPTEGROVE had used the bike as his getaway vehicle. Officers pulled UPTEGROVE over, arrested him and recovered more than $13,000 taken in the robbery.

When questioned UPTEGROVE also admitted to these bank robberies:

3/1/2001– Kennewick Community Federal Credit Union, Kennewick, WA
7/1/2001 – Spokane City Credit Union, Spokane, WA
7/3/2003 – Oregon Central Credit Union, Portland Oregon
8/27/2003 – Kennewick Community Federal Credit Union, Kennewick, WA
9/16/2003 – Oregon Central Credit Union, Portland, Oregon
1/23/2004 – Washington Federal Savings, Auburn, WA
1/27/2004 – Spokane City Credit Union, Spokane WA
2/6/2004 – Oregon Central Credit Union, Portland, Oregon
3/1/2004 – Olympia Credit Union, Lacey, WA

The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Redkey.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer, United States Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington at (206) 553-4110.

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