Bank robber, 88, heads to prison after targeting two institutions over four days

Steven Whitecloud was sentenced to two years in prison and three years supervised release

Steven Whitecloud, 88, was sentenced to federal prison for his role in two Montana bank robberies in August 2023 (Montana Department of Corrections)

An 88-year-old man will head to prison for robbing two Montana banks.

Steven Whitecloud, 88, was sentenced to two years in prison and three years supervised release for the robberies, a federal judge in Montana ruled this week. He previously pleaded guilty to his roles in the heists.

Co-defendant Patrick Justice, 26, was previously sentenced to two years in prison for his role.

On August 24, 2023, Justice entered a Billings U.S. Bank and gave the teller a note demanding money. He got the funds and fled the area in a Ford Taurus.

Four days later, Justice went into a Billings Wells Fargo Bank demanding money. He also told the teller he was “strapped,” which the worker took to mean the suspect had a gun, prosecutors said.

Justice got the money and fled in a Taurus. Responding officers spotted the green Taurus and tried to pull it over. But it sped away.

After a chase, officers got the vehicle to stop and found Justice and Whitecloud inside.

Whitecloud told officers he suggested the two rob banks, as he had done in the past, as a way to make money.

Whitecloud was convicted in 2008 of bank robbery, prosecutors said. He said he told Justice how to rob a bank and acted as the getaway driver.

In addition to the prison sentence, the federal judge ordered Whitecloud to pay $3,092 in restitution.