Spacecootie
New Member
I took a couple of courses at COSMOD Sacramento exactly 40 years ago... and decided to get out of there after the Jonestown tragedy. Applauding a photo of LRH seemed a little too close to the People's Temple devotion to Jim Jones.
I ran across an old newspaper article about the bank robberies.
https://mountaindemocrat.newspaperarchive.com/placerville-mountain-democrat/1989-03-15/
Bank robber given 3 years
Two others get 20, 30 years in pen
By PAT LAKEY City editor
Eric Ralph Planteen, a 39-year-old Sacramento man convicted of participating in a series of local armed robberies of credit unions in 1987, was sentenced Monday to three years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Terrence Finney. Two codefendants involved in the plague of robberies, which included local Sierra Central Credit Unions and El Dorado Savings and Loan in Pollock Pines, were sentenced to federal prison after being prosecuted by federal authorities. Craig Pavelchlk was sentenced to 20 yean, while Michael Parsons received a 30-year sentence. Two other codefendants in the case, Ken Wagner and Daniel J. O'Leary, worked out plea bargain arrangements in which they testified against Parsons and Pavelchik. Exact terms of those arrangements were not available at press time.
Planteen, who reportedly suffers from post traumatic stress disorder related to his service in Vietnam in 1969-70, has told authorities he is "sorry" for his participation in the robberies. He said he became involved in the crimes during a time in his life when he was considering killing himself, according to a report by an El Dorado County probation officer. In fact. Planteen said he was sitting in his office at his job in Sacramento in January or February of 1987, with a pistol in his hand, when a "friend" came in and noticed Planteen was upset. The friend allegedly asked Planteen, "If you could change things, what would you Planteen said he replied, "I could rob a bank or put a bullet in my head." At that point, the pair began discussing committing bank robberies and eventually did just that Planteen said he participated in the gang for about six months, helping in the commission of five armed robberies. He said he decided to get out of the racket because during one robbery, at least one of the robbers carried a loaded pistol violating Planteen's "rules." he told authorities. Planteen apparently did not participate in the final robbery, which occurred at El Dorado Savings and Loan in Pollock Pines and resulted in the arrest of suspects Parsons, Pavelchik and Wagner. That incident occurred Sept. 11, 1987. and involved an FBI SWAT team that cornered and apprehended the suspects in Camino. The same day those arrests occurred, the FBI contacted Planteen and advised him that he should meet with agents and discuss possible involvement in the series of robberies. Planteen requested immunity from prosecution in exchange for his help in the case against other suspects, but the FBI reportedly did not agiee to such a deal. Planteen was arrested in October 1987 by Placer County authorities and charged with the armed robbery of a Sierra Central Credit Union there, a robbery that occurred several months earlier. Upon learning of his arrest, El Dorado County authorities placed a "hold" on him so that he could be prosecuted for local robberies after his Placer County case was adjudicated. Superior Court Judge Richard Gilbert, presiding over the Placer County case, sentenced Planteen to four years in state prison but then the judge suspended the sentence, saying that he had found that "special circumstances" exist in the case. Gilbert reportedly determined that Planteen should be handled with some leniency because of what the judge perceived to be "psychological difficulties" resulting from Planteen's purported post traumatic stress disorder. Judge Gilbert placed Planteen on five years probation with the understanding that Planteen will remain in custody until he can get treatment in an inpatient facility for his mental problems. As part of the Placer County sentence, Planteen was told that during his probationary period, he may possess no deadly weapons and may not consume alcohol. His criminal record includes no other matters prior to the robbery crime spree. Judge Finney indicated he would like to order that Planteen receive help for his post traumatic stress disorder, and the judge became annoyed when told that a treatment center in Menlo Park for PTSD victims will not accept anyone awaiting criminal prosecution or fulfillment of criminal sentences. Planteen could have faced an additional two yean on his prison term because he used a gun in the crime, but the judge stayed that provision as long as Planteen successfully completes the three-year term and a period of parole after his release.
I ran across an old newspaper article about the bank robberies.
https://mountaindemocrat.newspaperarchive.com/placerville-mountain-democrat/1989-03-15/
Bank robber given 3 years
Two others get 20, 30 years in pen
By PAT LAKEY City editor
Eric Ralph Planteen, a 39-year-old Sacramento man convicted of participating in a series of local armed robberies of credit unions in 1987, was sentenced Monday to three years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Terrence Finney. Two codefendants involved in the plague of robberies, which included local Sierra Central Credit Unions and El Dorado Savings and Loan in Pollock Pines, were sentenced to federal prison after being prosecuted by federal authorities. Craig Pavelchlk was sentenced to 20 yean, while Michael Parsons received a 30-year sentence. Two other codefendants in the case, Ken Wagner and Daniel J. O'Leary, worked out plea bargain arrangements in which they testified against Parsons and Pavelchik. Exact terms of those arrangements were not available at press time.
Planteen, who reportedly suffers from post traumatic stress disorder related to his service in Vietnam in 1969-70, has told authorities he is "sorry" for his participation in the robberies. He said he became involved in the crimes during a time in his life when he was considering killing himself, according to a report by an El Dorado County probation officer. In fact. Planteen said he was sitting in his office at his job in Sacramento in January or February of 1987, with a pistol in his hand, when a "friend" came in and noticed Planteen was upset. The friend allegedly asked Planteen, "If you could change things, what would you Planteen said he replied, "I could rob a bank or put a bullet in my head." At that point, the pair began discussing committing bank robberies and eventually did just that Planteen said he participated in the gang for about six months, helping in the commission of five armed robberies. He said he decided to get out of the racket because during one robbery, at least one of the robbers carried a loaded pistol violating Planteen's "rules." he told authorities. Planteen apparently did not participate in the final robbery, which occurred at El Dorado Savings and Loan in Pollock Pines and resulted in the arrest of suspects Parsons, Pavelchik and Wagner. That incident occurred Sept. 11, 1987. and involved an FBI SWAT team that cornered and apprehended the suspects in Camino. The same day those arrests occurred, the FBI contacted Planteen and advised him that he should meet with agents and discuss possible involvement in the series of robberies. Planteen requested immunity from prosecution in exchange for his help in the case against other suspects, but the FBI reportedly did not agiee to such a deal. Planteen was arrested in October 1987 by Placer County authorities and charged with the armed robbery of a Sierra Central Credit Union there, a robbery that occurred several months earlier. Upon learning of his arrest, El Dorado County authorities placed a "hold" on him so that he could be prosecuted for local robberies after his Placer County case was adjudicated. Superior Court Judge Richard Gilbert, presiding over the Placer County case, sentenced Planteen to four years in state prison but then the judge suspended the sentence, saying that he had found that "special circumstances" exist in the case. Gilbert reportedly determined that Planteen should be handled with some leniency because of what the judge perceived to be "psychological difficulties" resulting from Planteen's purported post traumatic stress disorder. Judge Gilbert placed Planteen on five years probation with the understanding that Planteen will remain in custody until he can get treatment in an inpatient facility for his mental problems. As part of the Placer County sentence, Planteen was told that during his probationary period, he may possess no deadly weapons and may not consume alcohol. His criminal record includes no other matters prior to the robbery crime spree. Judge Finney indicated he would like to order that Planteen receive help for his post traumatic stress disorder, and the judge became annoyed when told that a treatment center in Menlo Park for PTSD victims will not accept anyone awaiting criminal prosecution or fulfillment of criminal sentences. Planteen could have faced an additional two yean on his prison term because he used a gun in the crime, but the judge stayed that provision as long as Planteen successfully completes the three-year term and a period of parole after his release.