August 1, 2019 4:00 a.m.
A Trail, Oregon couple has been sentenced to federal prison for a series of bank robberies including one in Douglas County.
A release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Oregon said 38-year-old John Shepard was sentenced to 51 months in prison while 39-year-old Kimberly Blank was sentenced to 33 months in prison. Both were also sentenced to three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on January 27, 2017, Shepard robbed the Evergreen Bank in Rogue River of $1950 and fled in a vehicle driven by Blank. During the robbery, the man wore a cowboy hat and a jacket, the first of many disguises he would use.
Five days later, Shepard robbed the Key Bank in Grants Pass, wearing a wig, glasses and a hat. He left the bank with just over $10,000. The woman drove the getaway vehicle once again.
Between February 7th and March 30th, wearing various disguises, Shepard robbed 4 additional banks with Blank’s assistance. Those included Banner Banks in Riddle and Cottage Grove, a Bank of the Cascades in Medford and an Umpqua Bank in Ashland.
The release said after their final robbery, police found Blank in a vehicle matching the description of the getaway vehicle used in the previous robberies. Shepard was located nearby in a second vehicle. Both were released while police obtained search warrants for Blank’s car and for the couple’s residence. On April 4 of 2017, the pair were arrested in Fortuna, California.
In April of this year, both pleaded guilty to multiple counts of bank robbery. During sentencing on Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken ordered Shephard and Blank to pay $31,045 and $20,900 in restitution, respectively.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation working with multiple agencies including the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.