A Vancouver man was sentenced Thursday to more than eight years in prison for a robbery during which he allegedly struck a man with a handgun and discharged a single round.
Cameron Troy Costello, 27, was charged in Clark County Superior Court with first-degree robbery, second-degree assault and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and faced more than 33 years in prison. In November, he pleaded guilty to the robbery charge; the other counts were dismissed as part of an agreement with the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
On the night of the incident, Costello and another man got into an argument at the victim’s home off Southeast Park Crest Avenue, according to a probable cause affidavit. It said Costello pulled a small semi-automatic handgun from his clothing, worked the slide on the gun, ejected a round and pointed it at the man’s face.
Costello then punched the man several times and hit him over the head with the gun, causing a bloody nose and facial markings, according to the affidavit. It said he also fired a round near the victim’s head, leaving a visible hole in the ceiling and casings on the floor.
Costello fled on foot and was arrested shortly after taking a taxi, according to the affidavit.
Further investigation revealed that Costello stole an item from the victim’s home before fleeing. Costello admitted to consuming alcohol before the incident, according to court documents.
The prosecuting attorney’s office unsuccessfully attempted to reach out to the victim for an impact statement at Thursday’s hearing, Deputy Prosecutor Katie Sinclair said.
Employers, family and Costello’s fiancee wrote letters of support for him to Judge Bernard Veljacic and attended Thursday’s hearing.
Costello, who has a lengthy rap sheet in Clark County, recently became a father and was in line for a promotion at work, said Miranda Shreeve, his defense attorney. Shreeve added Costello was a “rare” case in that he swiftly changed his life when he found out — about a month after the incident — about his daughter.
“I have changed,” Costello said. “Today is probably one of the hardest days of my life knowing that I’m going to be away from my daughter.”
Shaking his head briefly at one point in the hearing, Veljacic said the timing of Costello’s epiphany was a “tough pill to swallow.”
“The cruel irony is that it comes after such a significant event,” Veljacic said. “It’s definitely a hard story, and I’m fully aware that when people go away, kids don’t have the support they’re entitled to, and that’s definitely heartbreaking.”
