The man who robbed a Hermiston bank in 2021 and threatened a couple as he fled now is heading to federal prison.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office of Oregon in a press release Thursday, Sept. 19, reported a judge sentenced Clifford Court Uptegrove, 61, of Yakima, to 23 years, three months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
Uptegrove admitted to committing at least 10 bank robberies, including five while armed, according to the press release.
On Dec. 17, 2021, approximately 14 months after he received a compassionate release from federal prison, Uptegrove entered the Umpqua Bank branch in Hermiston, brandished a firearm and demanded large denomination bills from one of the bank’s tellers. After Uptegrove collected more than $13,000 in cash, he fled the bank and attempted to steal an occupied truck in nearby parking lot.
The pickup he tried to steal belonged to Amanda and Jim West, owners of Columbia Orthodontics.
Shortly after, a Hermiston police officer spotted Uptegrove and attempted a traffic stop. Uptegrove led the officer on a brief pursuit before stopping and police arrested him.
A federal grand jury on Jan. 19, 2022, in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Uptegrove with armed bank robbery, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Later, on April 11, 2024, Uptegrove pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery.
However, he did not face prosecution for threatening the Wests and trying to steal their pickup.
