ST. GEORGE – Troy Riddle, 33, was sentenced in US District Court on Oct. 3 for bank robbery.
Riddle was found guilty of robbing the State Bank of Southern Utah in Santa Clara on May 28, 2010.
US Attorney Matt Bell said that Riddle handed a teller a note demanding money along with a written threat of shooting her if she did not comply. The teller took the threat seriously and gave Riddle the money. He quickly fled the scene on a bicycle.
Riddle was ultimately tracked down and arrested. After being presented with evidence that pointed to him being the bicycle-riding robber, he confessed and pled guilty on May 9, 2011.
US District Judge Ted Stewart sentenced Riddle to 37 months in prison and with an additional 36 months of supervised released. He was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution for the crime.
Currently out on his own recognizance, Riddle has been ordered to surrender himself to an incarceration facility of the court’s recommendation on Nov. 14, or face further prosecution.
Bell commented that Riddle had been out on his own recognizance throughout the duration of the trial and had been cooperative.
“He was willing to accept responsibility,” Bell said of Riddle.
Bell added that while the sentencing may appear lenient, it was based on a set of federal guidelines that cited similar cases. Riddle’s cooperation, past history, the fact that a weapon was not used in the bank robbery and a plea deal were all taken into consideration when recommending a sentence.
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