By KYLE ODEGARD
Gazette-Times reporter | Posted: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 12:00 am
Baird suspect in Washington crimes
A Waldport man pleaded guilty Tuesday to robbing two Corvallis banks this winter.
Jack David Baird, 44, also waived extradition to Washington, where he is a suspect in additional bank robberies.
"I'm aware of two at this point," said Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson, adding that those cases were in King County. "As soon as he's done here, he's going up there."
Sentencing, however, has been rescheduled to Sept. 10. Defense attorney John Rich said Baird had family members who wanted to attend the hearing.
Baird, who was shackled and clad in striped jail attire, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree robbery. Under terms of a plea agreement, he is scheduled to serve 10 years in prison, with no early release. Two counts of first-degree theft were dropped as part of the deal.
When Judge Janet Holcomb told him he could fight extradition, Baird replied: "That would be a waste of people's time."
Baird admitted robbing the Washington Mutual Bank at 2055 N.W. Circle Blvd. on Dec. 28, and the Washington Federal Savings Bank at 1111 N.W. Ninth St. on Jan. 10.
In each robbery, Baird approached a bank teller, handed over a note demanding money and indicated he was armed. He threatened the tellers with harm, and told them that he also would hurt other workers and customers. After each heist, he fled on foot. Witnesses described a man wearing a baseball cap and an over-the-ear headset in both robberies.
In the first robbery, Baird left behind the note he used to demand money, which turned out to be a crucial piece of evidence. Police were able to lift a fingerprint, which was matched to Baird. A comparison with fingerprints in a law enforcement database identified Baird, who had been convicted of felonies in Los Angeles in 1989.
Although Baird was living in a trailer parked on private property in Waldport, he was arrested on Jan. 17 in a Newport hotel.
Kyle Odegard can be contacted at kyle.odegard@lee.net or 758-9523.