Man sentenced to a year and a day for WSU robbery
Apr. 13—A Vancouver, Wash., man was sentenced to just over a year in prison for being part of a robbery on Washington State University's campus last July.
RJ William, 22, was convicted of first-degree robbery and first-degree theft in Whitman County Superior Court in October 2023. Whitman County Judge Gary Libey sentenced him Friday morning to a year and a day in jail and a year and a half of probation.
William was one of three men who were a part of the robbery. Frank Rodriguez and Robert Garcia, both 19, were ordered to serve six months in prison and a year of probation after reaching a plea deal in September.
The three were also ordered to pay the victims in restitution fees.
Washington State University officers were called to a reported robbery in the early morning hours in July 2023. Five men were smoking cigarettes when they were approached by Garcia, Rodriguez and William, according to court records.
The three stole four phones from the five men and a guitar, according to court records. William struck one of the men in the face before he, Garcia and Rodriguez ran away with the stolen items.
Whitman County Prosecutor Denis Tracy said in court they had broken the guitar and thrown the phones away. The property was never recovered.
A victim testified during the sentencing and said he is still affected by the incident. He said he no longer feels safe in small-town Pullman, and often avoids leaving home at night. He added the other men feel similarly.
William's family appeared before the court to give statements on his behalf. They asked Libey for mercy in his sentencing, and apologized to the victims for his behavior. His family also spoke highly of him, saying they looked up to William and were shocked to hear what he'd done.
Two men who hold a weekly Bible study at Whitman County Jail also testified. They said they have met a number of inmates, and in their years they've met very few who have shown repentance like William has. They added he sees his actions as impulsive and wants nothing to do with the life he used to live.
A sincere apology was given by William, who also expressed a desire to make right with the world. He said he can never take back what he did or the hurt he's caused, adding he will never do something like this again.
Libey noted William took full responsibility for the violent crime and how his actions have impacted the victims.
Libey said he came into court prepared to hand down a four-year sentence, but reconsidered this after hearing William's and the family's testimonies.
He said William, 21 at the time, lacked maturity and had an undeveloped sense of responsibility. Libey added this often leads to impetuous, ill-considered actions and decisions, which William acknowledged.
"He was eloquent, he was sincere, he apologized in the most sincere way possible," Libey said. "I walked in here with 48 months on my mind. ... In my humble opinion, justice is met."
Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.
