A man who was shot by a Salt Lake County sheriff's deputy after attempting to rob a bank at gunpoint pleaded guilty in federal court and was sentenced to 20 1/2 years in prison.
Michael Adam Robinson, 40, told U.S. District Judge David Sam this past week that he was "very sorry about the way things happened." Robinson said he had made bad choices in his life and looked forward to having an opportunity to rectify the situation.
In a statement read by the judge, Robinson agreed that he and an accomplice took money from the Washington Federal Savings Bank in the Olympus Hills Shopping Center Dec. 19, 2001, and returned two days later for more.
The pair were recognized on their second visit by bank employees and a sheriff's deputy who was looking for a stolen vehicle in the area. The sheriff's deputy, who had investigated the first robbery, confronted the men as they left the bank. The alleged accomplice, Curtis Self, is accused of using the bank manager as a shield.
Robinson began to raise his gun toward the sheriff's deputy, who then fired one round into Robinson's chest. The hostage was let go but Self then allegedly lunged for Robinson's gun, according to the statement. He also was shot by the sheriff's deputy.
Both men were airlifted to area hospitals, and the bank manager was treated for a cut on her leg from a bullet fragment. The case against Self is pending, assistant U.S. attorney Mark Vincent said.
Robinson pleaded guilty to attempted armed bank robbery and possession of a firearm in connection with the crime. He was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison on the attempted armed bank robbery charge to be followed by five years on the firearm charge.
Sam also ordered Robinson to pay restitution for $6,086 taken from the bank in the first robbery, plus $90 handed over by a customer at the bank. A charge related to that robbery was dropped in the plea agreement along with a charge of firearm possession by a convict