Six years in jail for businessman turned bank robber
Posted: November 23, 2009, 6:03 PM by Rob Roberts
By Steph Davidson, National Post
A "mild-mannered" Toronto investment-firm staffer who robbed banks to feed a gambling addiction was sentenced to six years in jail today.
Kevin Pinto, 37, former compliance officer for Paradigm Capital, robbed 10 banks around southern Ontario between December, 2003, and October, 2008.
Mr. Pinto was dubbed "the exchange bandit," because he would ask the tellers about exchange rates before handing them a note demanding money. He began his spree in Toronto and Peel region in 2003, before expanding west to St. Catharines and Kitchener in 2004. After a two-year hiatus, he robbed banks in Toronto, Oakville and Cambridge. He was suspected of up to 21 robberies, but only charged with 10 counts.
Mr. Pinto turned himself in Oct. 2, 2008, after police publicized surveillance footage, and subsequently pled guilty. Mr. Pinto had no prior criminal record.
Today, he was escorted into court in handcuffs, meekly entering the prisoner's box to hear the judge read his fate. He looked slightly scared.
Court heard he is a "kind-hearted family man" who is seeking counselling for his addiction. Calvin Barry, Mr. Pinto's lawyer, said he's never seen someone less likely to have done such crimes. "He's a very mild-mannered gentleman."
Though some of his notes to tellers suggested he was armed during the robberies, he was not.
Mr. Pinto was sentenced to six years, with his pre-trial time served counting two-for-one. There was some dispute as to the total number of days Mr. Pinto already served, but it was decided that he will spend over three years and nine months longer in jail.
Mr. Barry said Mr. Pinto is genuinely remorseful and has expressed interest in teaching people of the "slippery slope" of gambling, which he said was no different than an addiction to heroin or alcohol.
Mr. Pinto, who earned over $100,000 a year, came away with more than $33,000 to support his gambling habit from the robberies.
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/toronto/archive/2009/11/23/six-years-in-jail-for-businessman-turned-bank-robber.aspx
Calvin Barry is a Toronto-based criminal lawyer with over 16 years experience as a senior crown attorney at Calvin Barry Professional Corporation - Criminal Lawyers. Calvin Barry Lawyer Toronto has practiced in the area of Criminal Law and Regulatory Offenses since October of 2004, accruing over 30 years experience in criminal law.
