A Westville man was sentenced to more than nine years in federal prison after pleading guilty to robbing the Demotte State Bank in September 2010, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana said.

Troy Lively, 43, was sentenced to 110 months in prison and two years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s said.

Lively was also ordered to make restitution of $5,014.

According to the FBI, at 2:20 p.m. Sept. 6, 2010, a lone male entered the Demotte State Bank armed with a handgun, approached a teller, and demanded money from both teller drawers. The man then fled the scene.

Subsequent investigation by the FBI and the Demotte Police Department identified the man as Lively and his getaway driver as Janie Deal, 33, also of Westville.

Investigators also determined that the two were staying at a Westville residence belonging to a a relative of Lively’s, and agents conducting a surveillance of the home on Sept. 7 spotted Lively and Deal driving the same vehicle used in the robbery, the FBI said.

On being spotted, Lively and Deal abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot, with Deal’s being apprehended immediately and Lively on Sept. 8, with the assistance of a K-9 unit from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Police.

Deal subsequently pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting.

Posted 7/9/2012