Billings Bank Robber Gets 2 Years in the Slammer

A Billings man has been sentenced to two years in prison for his role in two brazen bank robberies in the city.

Steven Whitecloud, 88, pleaded guilty to bank robbery in February and was sentenced on [undisclosed date] by U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters.

According to court documents, Whitecloud and co-defendant Patrick Justice robbed a U.S. Bank on Grand Avenue on August 24, 2023, and a Wells Fargo Bank on Main Street four days later.

Justice, also 88, was the one who entered the banks, presented the tellers with a demand note, and made off with cash. Whitecloud, however, was the mastermind behind the heists.

Whitecloud told police he suggested the robberies to Justice and even acted as the getaway driver, showing Justice which banks to target. Justice was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the robberies.

In addition to the prison sentence, Whitecloud must pay $3,092 in restitution. He was ordered to report to the U.S. Marshals Service pending designation to a Bureau of Prisons medical facility.

The investigation was conducted by the Billings Police Department, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuting the case. This is the second time Whitecloud has been convicted of bank robbery, having previously been convicted in 2008.