Justin Worley, R.I. "bearded bandit," gets 6 years in prison in series of bank robberies

(AP) PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The 34-year-old man dubbed the "bearded bandit" has been sentenced to more than 6 years in prison for a string of bank robberies in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Justin Worley was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Providence to 6 years, one month in prison. He pleaded guilty in March to last year's robberies of eight banks in Rhode Island and one in Massachusetts. He took more than $32,000.

Prosecutors say Worley entered the banks wearing a fake beard and demanded money. They say he threatened tellers, sometimes with death.

Worley was arrested in September at a motel in Seekonk, Mass., where police also recovered the fake beard.