Driver in fatal drug robbery gets 15 years in state prison

NORWICH – Convicted robber James F. Bush was sentenced to 15 years in State prison Thursday for his participation in a drug holdup that left his co-conspirator shot dead.
A jury convicted Bush Oct. 28 on several of the top felony charges against him, including burglary, criminal possession of a weapon and attempted robbery.
Supreme Court Kevin M. Dowd sentenced Bush to multiple concurrent sentences on the separate charges, the longest being 15 years.
“This blind assertion that you had nothing to do with this is absurd,” he said to Bush, who maintained throughout the trial he knew nothing of the robbery and was just giving his friend a ride.
First Assistant District Attorney Stephen M. Dunshee requested the maximum sentence of 25 years to life.
“You put yourself first. And everything you want to do, you do, and never accept the consequences of it. And now is the time to meet the piper. You’re 47 years old, and your life has been basically nothing but criminal activity. Some violent, most of it garbage.,” added the judge before passing sentence.
Bush made a statement to the court saying he maintained his innocence and loved his friend Joshua Richheimer, who was killed in the robbery.
“I am not guilty. I just gave him a ride,” said Bush.
Joshua’ mother, Regina Richheimer, demanded to speak at the sentencing, claiming she had a right to on behalf of her son, whom she believed was a victim of the crime.
Dowd rejected the request which Dunshee admitted held “no point of law that I know judge, but we still make the request.”
Dowd ordered the mother to be silent after she interrupted the proceeding a number of times during Bush’s final statements to the court. He said he was appalled by the notion that Joshua Richheimer, who the judge said brought torture equipment to the scene, was a victim in the crime.
“He’s not a victim at all. If he was alive, he would be a defendant and going to state prison for a long period of time,” Dowd said.
Bush was arrested in July 2007 over the fatal robbery attempt. He and Richheimer plotted to steal several hundred dollars in cash and several pounds of marijuana from a Sherburne drug dealer at around 9:45 p.m. July 24, 2007.
A subsequent investigation by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office said Richheimer was killed in the attack by the homeowner, Robert Reynolds, in self defense. Reynolds, who admitted in court to selling between 1 to 3 pounds of marijuana a week, said he kept a loaded gun in his home after having been robbed twice before at gunpoint.
Reynolds decided to cover up the incident and buried Richheimer’s body in an eight foot grave a few hundred yards from his property in a dumping area.
Police discovered about $28,000 in cash in Reynolds’ home and over three pounds of marijuana after they initially arrested him for the suspected homicide of Richheimer.
Dunshee convinced the jury that Bush helped plan the attack, provided the sawed-off shotgun used in the crime and was the getaway driver who waited on his motorcycle while an armed Richheimer battered down Reynolds’ front door wearing nylon gloves.
Reynolds agreed to testify against Bush in exchange for a plea bargain of two and a half years in state prison after pleading guilty to processing 3.5 to 4 pounds of marijuana. Reynolds also had to surrender tens of thousands of dollars worth of property and cash as part of the deal.
Dowd said Bush’s criminal career began in 1979 with an armed robbery.
“Your criminal career will now come to an end,” said Dowd.

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