Robber falls short of goal by $99,000

A Spokane man who once planned to raise $100,000 by robbing local businesses was sentenced Tuesday to nine years in prison. He was at least $99,000 short of his goal.

Calvin C. Erickson Jr., 38, pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery and second-degree robbery in connection with two holdups last May.

Just two months prior, Erickson had been released from prison after serving three years for three previous robbery convictions.

Erickson was convicted in 2003 along with 25-year-old Donald Burrell on three counts of first-degree robbery, including two cases in which they bound their victims with ropes.

In one 2003 case, Erickson and Burrell entered the Subway sandwich shop at 3516 N. Market St., threatened an employee with a gun and forced him into the bathroom before taking $176 from the cash register.

Erickson also pleaded guilty to two other charges, including a robbery in which an elderly woman – an employee at Greenacres Dry Cleaners – had her hands tied.

According to court records, Erickson told investigators that he believed using a plastic gun in the Subway heist would keep him from being charged with armed robbery.

In his arrest earlier this year, Erickson pleaded guilty to walking into a Subway at 5320 E. Sprague Ave. on May 14 and threatening an employee with a gun before taking about $280 from the cash register.

He also pleaded guilty to walking into Altamont Pharmacy, 928 S. Perry St., three days later and using a similar gun to demand the pharmacist place drugs in a paper bag or he was “going to start shooting,” according to court records.

Erickson told sheriff’s detectives that in both cases he used a BB gun in which he drilled out the end of the barrel to make it look like a real pistol.

When detectives raided Erickson’s home at 3916 E. Ninth Ave., they found some of the drugs he took from the pharmacy.

Erickson told Superior Court Judge Sam Cozza on Tuesday that he had earned his bachelor’s degree but lost his job as a licensed nurse after he became addicted to drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin.

“I’m sorry,” Erickson said when asked to explain his actions.

“Mr. Erickson, hopefully the (Department of Corrections) can get you into some kind of treatment program,” Cozza said.

“That’s got to be fixed or it will just be a matter of time before you get in trouble again.”

In 2003, Erickson and Burrell had planned to raise $100,000 by knocking off gas stations, restaurants and other businesses, police said at the time.

“But you’ve got to do quite a few $100 robberies to get to $100,000,” Spokane Police Sgt. Joe Peterson said at the time, “especially when you are supporting your drug habit.”