Man sentenced for robbery spree including Lynn banks

SALEM – A Boston man who went on a three-month crime spree, robbing three banks in Lynn and one in Salem beginning in February of 2009, received two to three years in state prison and will be on probation for five years when released.Jeremy Grafton, 27, who receives Social Security Disability Income due to mental illness and last lived at 41 Bowdoin St., #36, in Boston, made the confession Wednesday afternoon in Salem Superior Court in a deal worked out by the prosecutor and his defense lawyer.He pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery as well as two counts of unarmed robbery before Judge Timothy Q. Feeley, who agreed to impose the joint recommendation.When Grafton is released from prison he will be evaluated for mental health counseling and treatment as deemed necessary by probation officials and was ordered to remain on all prescribed medications for his mental health.In handing down the punishment, Feeley said he believed the recommendation was “appropriate.””The crimes are very serious and your conduct placed innocent people in fear, even though no weapon was shown,” Feeley told Grafton.He went on to say “this is a very lenient sentence” that is being recommended, while acknowledging that Grafton had a criminal record that was nearly non-existent.”There are mental health issues underlying the conduct and you will be the best to deal with those issues,” Feeley carefully explained to Grafton.Assistant District Attorney Jean M. Curran gave a summation of her case if she went to trial.She said the charges relate to four bank robberies.On Feb. 12, Grafton entered the Sovereign Bank, located at 35 Market Square in Lynn, passed a note on a deposit slip demanding money and fled with $1,500.Then on March 24, he stole $1,995 from the Eastern Bank branch on Market Street in Lynn after handing a note, saying he had a gun and demanding cash, but no die packs.Nearly two months later on May 13 he appeared at the Eastern Bank branch at Traders Way in Salem, handed a note again, saying “Give me all the money, I have a gun” and fled with $911.Then two weeks later on May 27, he stole $2,074 from the Century Bank branch at 2 State St. in Lynn.The teller turned over the money and he fled, but unbeknownst to the robber, the bank manager chased the robber to the waiting taxi cab and told the cab driver to stop as Grafton yelled “Go, go, go.”Police quickly arriving at the scene arrested Grafton. The money from the last holdup was recovered along with several notes in his pocket.Authorities learned through their investigation that Grafton would sometimes disguise himself by wearing shoe polish on a beard he sometimes wore and glasses in the robberies.In all of the holdups notes were presented to the teller, in which a word “drawer” was always misspelled, Curran said.She said police learned that Grafton would borrow clothes from a roommate and would come by taxi to the North Shore to commit the crimes.When they searched his apartment, police found various items used in the four holdups.Police used surveillance tapes, clothing and videos to build their case against Grafton.Curran had proposed restitution, but Feeley declined to implement, saying that he wanted Grafton to focus entirely on his mental health issues. Feeley also waived all other fees associated with the punishment.In asking the judge to adopt the recommendation, defense lawyer Rebecca E. Whitehill explained that Grafton lived in Boston his entire life, was adopted, had difficulty in school and was bullied growing up.She further explained that she did explore his mental issues but they did not arise to responsibility or competency issues in the case.The judge credited Grafton the 350 days he has spent in jail in lieu of bail awaiting trial on the cases.