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Cameron Card, left, with defense attorney Matthew Ryan Kacel.
Get-away driver in armed robbery gets prison term.
#OceanaCountyCrime
By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.
HART — A 20-year-old North Muskegon man currently lodged in prison for a string of armed robberies last summer was sentenced in 27th Circuit Court Monday, May 7, to six to 40 years in prison.
Cameron James Card is currently lodged in the Muskegon County Correctional Facility serving a five year to life sentence for an armed robbery conviction in Newaygo County and two terms of four and a half to 25 years for armed robbery convictions in Muskegon County.
Judge Robert D. Springstead gave Card credit for 270 days served in jail.
Card, who pleaded guilty last February to armed robbery, was the get-away driver in the robberies. The conviction in Oceana County stems from the July 19, 2017 armed robbery of the New Era Wesco.
He and his co-defendant Ian Evan Rodriguez, 19, of Muskegon also robbed the Hesperia Wesco in Newaygo County and the J&H Family Store in Twin Lake and the Speedway gas station in Ravenna where they were eventually caught.
Card said the get-away car was his 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and that Rodriguez used a “BB gun pistol” to rob the stores. Police said the pellet gun was disguised as a real handgun.
“I did not go in the store,” Card previously told Springstead.
Card’s attorney, Matthew Kacel, said, “Cameron is a bright individual, but he did something really stupid and really dangerous.” Kacel said Card is learning from this experience.
“It’s kind of ironic that he and his co-defendant are in same unit in the Muskegon prison,” Kacel said.
“Mr. Rodriguez was the one who actually went into store. My client is slightly less culpable by being the driver.”
“The case that brings me here today was the result of a very irresponsible and stupid decision I made,” Card said. “I feel terrible, it hurt a lot of people. I’m trying to use this as an experience to set my future on the right track. I won’t put myself in this position again. I just want to apologize to the victim and my family for the hurt I have caused them.”
Card had no prior criminal or juvenile record.
Sentencing guidelines in the case are 81-135 months guidelines.
“That doesn’t excuse your activity (being the get-away driver),” Springstead said. “You knew what was going to happen.”
Card must also pay restitution totaling $1,000, which is joint and several with Rodriguez.
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