Bank robbery suspect faces extradition

If found guilty, the man who police said robbed a Boulder City bank March 5 and a New Hampshire grocery store in February will likely serve his time in Southern Nevada before being extradited.

“Were going to try him here. When he’s done serving his time here, then we’ll extradite him,” Boulder City Police Chief Bill Conger said.

According to Boulder City Police Sgt. Aaron Johnson, Gerald Bickford entered the Nevada State Bank at 1000 Nevada Way about 9 a.m. and told the teller he was armed. Bickford left the bank with $840, Johnson said, and drove north on U.S. Highway 95 before being pursued by Nevada Highway Patrol.

Bickford, who Johnson said was driving a red Dodge Charger with Maine license plates, then exited near U.S. 95 and Martin Luther King Boulevard when NHP tried to pull him over.

Johnson said Bickford fled on foot, but was apprehended by Boulder City Police about 10 a.m. near Rancho Drive and Charleston Boulevard.

Johnson said the out-of-state license plates were not registered to the car that Bickford was driving.

According to WMUR-TV in Portsmouth, N.H., Bickford is wanted in connection to a Feb. 2 grocery store robbery.

Conger said the state where the more severe charges occurred generally takes precedence over the other state, so Bickford would serve time in Nevada first if found guilty.

“Ours are the heavier charges with the bank robbery,” he said.

Sgt. John Peracchi of the Portsmouth Police Department said they plan on working out the extradition details with their county attorney.

“We have an active arrest warrant for him,” he said. “Likely, he’ll serve time out there (in Nevada) first and then we’ll wait in line for him, but that’s something we’ll work out.”

Peracchi said Bickford stole an undisclosed amount of money from the grocery store he robbed in Portsmouth. It is still unknown if he committed any other crime in between New Hampshire and Nevada.

Bickford was arraigned in Boulder City Justice Court on March 10. His preliminary hearing is set for 1 p.m. Tuesday in Boulder City Justice Court.

He faces one count of robbery with a deadly weapon and one count of burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon.

Contact reporter Steven Slivka at sslivka@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow @StevenSlivka on Twitter.