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City bank robber receives 6-year prison sentence

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by Courtney Johnson

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

A woman charged with multiple counts of being party to armed robbery in connection to a string of bank robberies last year was sentenced to six years in prison Monday.

Amanda Green, 27, was ultimately convicted of three counts of armed robbery and three counts of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, stemming from the series of Madison-area bank robberies that occurred between July and November 2006.

Two of the robberies involving Green occurred at a Madison branch of the Great Wisconsin Credit Union, located on Cottage Grove Road.

The first robbery, which took place in July 2006, was actually committed by Green's boyfriend, Jeffrey Dempsey, 29, who has also been sentenced to prison time for the robbery spree. Green was convicted of conspiring to commit the robbery.

According to court documents, when police questioned Green about the July robbery, she said she "wouldn't know" if she had helped Dempsey commit the actual robbery.

Green, who received an associate degree from Herzing College in Madison, told police investigators she and Dempsey began committing robberies to fund her drug addiction, after selling heroin did not cover the cost. Green said she started using heroin at age 18 and injected it daily for about five years.

Several charges were dropped against Green as part of her plea bargain, including several related to robberies where guns were pulled out and aimed directly at bank employees.

"In some cases, the bank tellers were forced to the ground at gunpoint — it was a very dangerous and scary situation," said Assistant District Attorney Mike Verveer, who was in court with Green during her initial appearance. "Armed robbery is among the most serious felonies one can be charged with."

Green was also charged with conspiring to commit armed robbery at the same Great Wisconsin Credit Union location in November. Although Dempsey committed the actual robbery, Green waited in the car. According to court documents, Green told police "she was very sick and that they used the money to get her well" and also to pay for other expenses, such as rent.

Most cases involved either Green or Dempsey slipping a bank employee a note asking for money and threatening to use a gun if the employee did not cooperate. Dempsey and Green made off with more than $1,000 in most of their robberies.

In addition to her six-year prison sentence, Green will receive 10 years of extended supervision and 16 years probation.

Dempsey, who committed most of the robberies, was convicted earlier this year of several counts of armed robbery and robbery with threat of force. He was sentenced to a total of 49 years in prison, along with 63 years of extended supervision.

Green and Dempsey also committed four robberies at a Monona branch of Bank Mutual on Monona Drive within a five-month period. Green told police she and Dempsey chose this bank so often because it always appeared "empty, with few people."

Green said she had robbed this bank once by herself.

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Anonymous (May 9, 2007 @ 6:23pm):

6 years? Gimme a break. Give her life in prison, then maybe crooks will start to think twice before pulling this crap.

Anonymous (May 11, 2007 @ 3:12pm):

I went to high school and college with the boyfriend. He was a very intelligent guy and a good person prior to the drugs. It is really sad to see what that heroin crap can do.

Anonymous (May 11, 2007 @ 10:44pm):

Amanda was one of my best friends in high school. Its a shame to see her go down this path. She got into trouble as a minor too (stealing my car among others) and I hope that this straightens her out for good.

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