Man sentenced for bank robbery.

• Author: Murray, Gary V.
• Position: Local

Byline: Gary V. Murray

WORCESTER -- A North Carolina man was sentenced to prison Wednesday for a bank robbery last year in Sturbridge.

Jean P. Gendron, 50, of Cherryville, North Carolina, was sentenced to 6 years to 6 years and a day in state prison after pleading guilty in Worcester Superior Court to the April 9, 2014, unarmed robbery of the TD Bank at 178 Main St., Sturbridge.

Assistant District Attorney Joseph Simmons said Mr. Gendron walked into the bank shortly before noon that day and handed a teller a note that read, "Give me all the money. No dye packs.'' Mr. Gendron left the bank after being given about $2,900 and got into a Dodge Caravan with livery plates, according to the prosecutor.

The bank manager got the license plate number and provided it to police, Mr. Simmons said. Within 15 minutes of the robbery, Charlton police stopped the van on Route 20. When questioned, Mr. Gendron admitted robbing the bank, according to Mr. Simmons. The suspect had more than $2,900 in his possession at the time, Mr. Simmons said.

Investigators determined that the livery driver had no involvement in the robbery and had picked Mr. Gendron up at the Scottish Inn Motel in Sturbridge, where he had been staying, according to the assistant district attorney.

Police said earlier that Mr. Gendron, who is still wanted in North Carolina on arson and bank robbery charges, was en route to Worcester to catch a bus back to North Carolina that morning and asked the livery driver to make a quick stop at the Tractor Supply Co. in Sturbridge before heading to the bus terminal.

Instead of entering the supply...