Man gets 6 years for robbing 2 Springfield banks

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — A Lane County man convicted of robbing two banks has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison.

The Register-Guard reports (http://bit.ly/2g28cQF ) that 40-year-old William John Kesler, of Veneta, was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty to two robbery charges as part of a plea deal that got him a shorter sentence.

Kesler was accused of taking more than $6,000 from a Chase Bank in August and $200 from a U.S. Bank in September. Both banks were located inside Springfield grocery stories.

Prosecutors acknowledged that Kesler was forthcoming about the crimes after his arrest.

Kesler’s attorney said his client’s actions were the result of him losing his job and becoming desperate to support a heroin addiction.

Kesler apologized in court Wednesday, saying he didn’t intend to cause any harm.

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Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com