Portland police track stolen money from downtown bank to apartment, suspect

By Everton Bailey Jr., The OregonianThe Oregonian
on November 09, 2012 at 9:57 PM, updated November 09, 2012 at 10:06 PM

Steven W. GentryMultnomah County Sheriff’s Office

Bait money was used to track about $2,650 stolen Thursday from a downtown Portland bank to an apartment building blocks away and police found the suspect inside, according to federal court documents.

Steven W. Gentry, 32, remained in custody Friday. Police also detained a man

By Everton Bailey Jr., The OregonianThe Oregonian
on November 09, 2012 at 9:57 PM, updated November 09, 2012 at 10:06 PM

Steven W. GentryMultnomah County Sheriff’s Office

Bait money was used to track about $2,650 stolen Thursday from a downtown Portland bank to an apartment building blocks away and police found the suspect inside, according to federal court documents.

Steven W. Gentry, 32, remained in custody Friday. Police also detained a man and woman from the apartment but later released them.

According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Portland, Gentry wore a wig, black baseball cap and large black jacket that went down to his thighs when he walked into the Wells Fargo, 1900 S.W. Fifth Ave., about 4 p.m. Thursday.

He presented a note demanding money, but the teller hesitated to hand any over. Gentry told the teller to hurry up, then took out a black semi-automatic handgun from his coat pocket and pointed it at the teller, the complaint said.

The teller gave Gentry $2,651, which included money that could be followed, the complaint said.

Portland police arrested 32-year-old Steven Wayne Gentry in connection with an armed robbery at a downtown Portland Wells Fargo bank on Nov. 8. Officers searched for suspects in the Martha Washington apartments on Southwest 11th Avenue and arrested the man outside the building.Everton Bailey Jr./The Oregonian

Portland police began searching for the suspect and found some of the stolen money was in a first-floor apartment of the Martha Washington building, 1115 S.W. 11th Ave.

Police contacted the apartment tenant and found he had $80 in his pocket, at least half of it from the bank. They asked where he got it and he said a man he knew as Johnny paid him to make a phone call, the complaint said.

Police showed the tenant surveillance photos from the bank. He identified Johnny as the suspect and said he was still in the apartment.

Police determined that “Johnny” was actually Gentry and he surrendered. The teller and another employee also identified him as the suspect.

Gentry is to be arraigned on federal robbery charges on Nov. 27.