Billings man sentenced to two years in prison for bank robbery

BILLINGS — A Billings man convicted for his role in two bank robberies within days of each other was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Steven Whitecloud, 88, pleaded guilty in February to bank robbery.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court also ordered $3,092 restitution. Whitecloud was ordered to report to the U.S. Marshals Service pending designation to a Bureau of Prisons medical facility.

The government alleged in court documents that on Aug. 24, 2023, co-defendant Patrick Justice entered U.S. Bank, on Grand Avenue in Billings, presented the teller a note that demanded money, received money and fled in a Ford Taurus. Four days later, on Aug. 28, 2023, Justice entered Wells Fargo Bank, on Main Street, and again presented a demand note to the teller and told the teller he was “strapped,” which the teller interpreted as he was armed with a gun. The teller gave Justice money, and he fled. As officers responded to the scene, they spotted a green Taurus matching the description from the first bank robbery. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, and, after a pursuit, pulled over the vehicle and detained Justice and Whitecloud. Whitecloud told officers he suggested he and Justice rob banks to make money, as he had done in the past. Whitecloud was convicted in 2008 of bank robbery. Whitecloud admitted he showed Justice what banks to rob and acted as the getaway driver. Justice was sentenced to two years in prison for his conviction in the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.

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