Robber faces prison time

Published: Thursday, April 10 2008 12:11 a.m. MDT

A man accused of Utah County bank robbery faces 57 years in prison after a federal jury found him guilty on six felony counts associated with armed robbery.

After a three-day trial this week, a jury on Wednesday found 26-year-old Joshua Rich guilty of three counts of bank robbery and three counts of using a firearm in the commission of a violent crime. Rich now faces 57 years in prison due to mandatory firearm enhancements.

Rich initially accepted a plea deal with federal prosecutors, agreeing to face 32 years in prison instead of 57 years. However, Rich fought to withdraw his guilty plea and take the case to trial. Last October, a federal judge allowed Rich to withdraw his plea.

Rich, along with a second man, was accused of robbing a Lindon-area bank three times. Rich's wife, Kylee Rich, was accused of helping to plan one of the robberies. The arrest of the couple prompted police to dub them Utah County's "Bonnie and Clyde."

Rich argued to the court that an air-soft pistol was used in the robberies and not a real gun. However, the government presented evidence to the jury that a real gun was used.

Kylee Rich was sentenced to serve one year in prison. Police say the couple used the money to pay for a Las Vegas honeymoon and for drugs to feed their heroin addiction.

Rich is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25.


E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com

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