Man who robbed two Ulster County banks sentenced

A 49-year-old Hunter man was sentenced to two back-to-back prison terms of three to six years each on Tuesday, Oct. 14 in Ulster County Court for robbing banks in New Paltz and Saugerties in 2013, according to a press release from Holley Carnright, the Ulster County District Attorney.

Left: Collin Lambert in a photo released by the Ulster County District Attorney's office.

Collin Lambert pled guilty to robbing Key Bank on Market Street in Saugerties on January 11, 2013, and to robbing Chase Bank on Plattekill Avenue in New Paltz on April 2, 2013.

In both robberies, Lambert displayed a note saying that he had a gun, but did not display a weapon or injure anyone.

Lambert was arrested at his Tannersville home in March after allegedly robbing a third bank in Herkimer in December 2013.

He has other offenses on his record, according to the Daily Freeman, including a 2001 robbery charge in Monroe County.

A Freeman reporter was in court during the sentencing hearing on Tuesday and reports that Lambert made a short apology:

“I’d just like to apologize to everybody in the incidents,” he said.

[Judge Donald] Williams said he doubted the sincerity of the apology and noted the impact of the heists on the victims, especially the bank tellers.

“I’m not sure it would have much of an impact on the people who thought you had a gun,” the judge said.

Previous coverage:

Hunter man admits to robbing two Ulster County banks

Saugerties Key Bank robbed