Vancouver Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of Drug Dealer in Portland

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Vancouver, Washington man was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in an armed robbery of a drug dealer that ended in an exchange of gunfire outside an apartment complex on Hayden Island in Portland.

Anthony James Pastorino, 43, was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, in the early morning hours of September 30, 2021, Pastorino, acting on the instructions of an accomplice, Seth Kamaile Teig, 38, also of Vancouver, traveled from Vancouver to an apartment complex on Hayden Island in Portland. At Teig’s direction, Pastorino waited outside the apartment complex in anticipation of robbing a known drug dealer. When the drug dealer arrived, Pastorino discharged his firearm and stole the drug dealer’s backpack. Pastorino and the drug dealer exchanged gunfire and both sustained serious injuries. Soon after, Pastorino and Teig fled the scene and traveled back to Washington.

Officers from the Portland Police Bureau responded to the scene and found 18 shell casings, a trail of blood, and Pastorino’s wallet. Later that day, a resident of the apartment complex found a handgun in some nearby bushes. Further investigation revealed that it was the gun used by Pastorino during the robbery. A later search of Pastorino’s phone revealed text messages wherein Teig directed Pastorino during the robbery and provided information about their target.

On October 27, 2021, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations arrested Pastorino for his role in the robbery. Pursuant to a court-authorized search warrant, the agents observed gunshot wounds on Pastorino’s arm and thighs.

On November 22, 2021, Pastorino was charged by criminal information with interfering with commerce by robbery and using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On February 2, 2023, he pleaded guilty to the latter charge.

On March 14, 2023, Teig was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for orchestrating the robbery.

This case was investigated by HSI and the Portland Police Bureau with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Cassady A. Adams, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.