Bank Robbery Suspect Sentenced

A Millbury woman was placed on probation and given a suspended jail sentence on Monday after pleading guilty to unarmed robbery and threatening charges in Worcester Superior Court, according to the Telegram.com.

Elizabeth Jacevicius, of 32 Hayward Lane, Millbury, pleaded guilty in Worcester Superior Court to unarmed robbery and threatening charges related to an Oct. 31 robbery at the branch, located at 55 Main St., Shrewsbury.

Judge James R. Lemire imposed a six-month House of Correction sentence on the threatening charge, but suspended it for four years with probation, according to Telegram.com. The judge placed Jacevicius on probation for four years on the unarmed robbery charge.

Assistant District Attorney Edward N. Karcasinas Jr. said Jacevicius entered the bank on the day of the robbery and handed a teller a note demanding $7,500 in cash and indicating the teller would “die” if she did not cooperate.

The robber fled after being given $620 in cash. A witness was able to get a partial plate number of the vehicle in which she drove off, according to Mr. Karcasinas. The prosecutor said investigators charged Ms. Jacevicius after comparing a vehicle registered to a family member to the vehicle shown in surveillance camera footage from the bank.

Karcasinas recommended that Jacevicius be sentenced to 2 to 3 years in state prison, with 2 years of probation to follow, according to Telegram.com. While noting that Jacevicius had no prior criminal record and that advisory sentencing guidelines called for a sentence ranging from 12 to 36 months, Karcasinas said his recommendation was based on the traumatic effects robberies have on bank employees.

Defense Attorney Michael G. Cashman asked that his client be spared a jail or prison sentence and placed on probation. Cashman said Jacevicius was addicted to drugs at the time of the robbery, and sought treatment within days of her arrest.

She remains in a halfway house and hopes to eventually reunite with her family in Millbury, Cashman said of Jacevicius.

“This is obviously the result of drug addiction,” Cashman said in court on Monday, according to Telegram.com.

As conditions of probation, Judge Lemire ordered that Jacevicius remain in drug treatment, refrain from using alcohol or drugs, undergo a substance abuse evaluation and any additional treatment deemed appropriate by the court and pay $620 in restitution to the bank.

Jacevicius was further ordered to remain employed or in school and to attend the Level III Community Corrections program if she is not working or enrolled as a student.

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