Illinois man heads to prison for Ann Arbor bank robbery
An Illinois man will serve between 3 and 15 years in prison for the robbery of the Bank of America branch on Briarwood Circle last August.
Sean Pierre Watson, 34, of Calumet City, Ill, pleaded no contest on Monday to an armed robbery charge.
He reached plea and sentencing agreements with Washtenaw County prosecutors and Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Melinda Morris Monday afternoon.
Watson had been charged with one count of bank robbery, one count of armed robbery and one felony weapons charge. As a part of his plea agreement, the bank robbery and felony weapons charges were dropped.
Without the sentencing agreement, Watson could have faced a maximum of life in prison for the armed robbery charge.
Watson has been in jail for almost a year, after being arrested 30 minutes after the Aug. 31, 2010, robbery. He was arrested in Jackson County and the money taken in the robbery was recovered when he was apprehended.
He will be formally sentenced on Oct. 17.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
ordmad
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 2:22 p.m.
The back seat judging here is ridiculous. If the prosecutors had the evidence to convict him of all three charges they wouldn't have offered the guy this deal. They apparently didn't so AGREED to a plea on the armed robbery charge only. That's all the judge can sentence him on and 3-15 is within the guidelines for that crime.
Roy Munson
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 2:44 p.m.
You are right. A setence of 3 to 15 years for robbing a bank IS ridiculous!
Sallyxyz
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 1:35 p.m.
Where's the photo of this perp?
Sallyxyz
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 1:31 p.m.
This is just unbelievable. I simply do not understand the plea bargain. The bank robbery charge was DROPPED? That was the crime he committed!!! Morris is out, folks. She has got to go. Word is out on the street among these thugs that Morris is the cupcake judge. Come to A2, folks! Banks are easy pickin's! Serve a couple years and you're out! Back to do more mayhem! No wonder there has been a rash of bank robberies in recent months in A2.
Roy Munson
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 1:02 p.m.
The sentences handed down by judges here for serious crimes are appalling in so many cases. Melinda Morris MUST go! Wow, the word must really be out for this place being the dream crime destination for someone to travel 230+ miles to rob a bank.
Stephen Lange Ranzini
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 10:40 a.m.
Similar thing happened to a guy who robbed our bank and five others a few years back before being caught. He was out after only one year with "good behavior". He got to keep the $120,000 he stole. The FBI agent who caught him was very upset. Once his story got out to his jailhouse colleagues there was a surge in bank robberies locally. Why not? Free room and board and $120,000 tax-free is pretty good wages for a year. I'd really like to see a study by AnnArbor.com of the sentences handed down by judge in Washtenaw County for bank robbery over the past ten years. Armed bank robbery is an extremely serious crime which permanently, emotionally scars the employees and customers involved.
Stephen Lange Ranzini
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 4:51 p.m.
@pest: I'd be happy to provide you that information privately if you email me at ranzini@university-bank.com I'm not interested in posting all the details because for all I know the judge is a hardworking Solomon who just made one mistake. That is why I'd like to have AnnArbor.com review all the cases decided by the local judges to see if these are one or two unusual situations or a pattern or practice. Stephen Lange Ranzini President & CEO, University Bank, Ann Arbor, Michigan
pest
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 12:57 p.m.
A couple of questions.... When did this happen? What was the person's name? Did they prosecute on a federal or state level? If it was state, then there is TIS (Truth in Sentencing) which does not allow early release for good time behavior. Also, banks generally don't keep that kind of cash on hand in the tills. the most any robber will get per bank is $5,000. I would like to know that robber's name so I can verify what you claim since your whole story sounds suspicious to me.
rs
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 10:22 a.m.
Way for our Prosecutors Office to throw the advertismewnt out there "Rob an Ann Arbor bank, we'll plea bargain your life sentence down to 3 years". One would think they would have made a example out of this guy given the flurry of local bank robberies over the last 6-8 months.
RJA
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 3:41 a.m.
This doesn't make sense to me, but then who am I?
Macabre Sunset
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 12:43 a.m.
This deal is unconscionable. Three years (far less, I'm sure, given Michigan parole rules) for a bank robbery? Melinda Morris has gone too far. Please remember this, Ann Arborites, if she's ever up for re-election.
Sallyxyz
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 1:34 p.m.
Remember, the bank robbery charge was dropped! That was the crime that was committed! It's just unbelievable that that charge was dropped! I can't wait for the next election.
pest
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 12:58 p.m.
re: "Michigan Rules".... TIS, Truth In Sentencing. Which means there is no early release for good time behavior. The minimum IS the minimum and is the time the person is first eligible for parole.