Woman Duped Into Becoming Getaway Car Driver For Bank Robber On First Date

When Shelby Sampson met Christopher Castillo on an online dating app, she probably felt hopeful of developing a real connection with a seemingly great guy. Unfortunately, what happened instead was that she was duped into becoming a getaway car driver after a bank robbery and almost went to jail for it. Thankfully, police eventually realized she was innocent.

1. She was originally charged as an accessory. Castillo pulled his ill-conceived heist at the Bristol County Savings Bank, in Massachusetts, on his first date with Sampson. According to The Sun Chronicle, 40-year-old Sampson had only met Castillo, 33, that very day when they decided to meet up. They drove from Castillo’s parents’ house in Rhode Island to North Attlebroro, with Sampson reporting that her passenger drank wine on the journey to Massachusetts. He then asked her to stop at a bank and wait for her.
2. Things got serious pretty quickly. Sampson told police that she waited for Castillo in the car and a few moments later, he came back sweating profusely and carrying a hat. He is said to have had cash and a gun on him at this point, and he hopped back into the car and told Sampson to “f**king go.”
3. Apparently Castillo really needed the cash. According to the district attorney, Castillo walked into the bank and showed the teller the gun before demanding that she hand over $1,000. He later admitted that he was “really hurting” for cash and that’s why he staged the bank robbery. Why he decided to do this during his first date, I have no idea.
4. Officers had to be dragged out of the car. While Sampson got out willingly when police stopped them, Castillo had to be pulled out by police and then he spat at them before threatening them with a gun, which thankfully wasn’t loaded.
5. Castillo was sentenced to five years behind bars. He got three years for the armed robbery and then an additional two for assaulting three police officers, a statement from the Bristol County district attorney revealed.
6. Thankfully, charges against Sampson were ultimately dropped. However, I bet the experience has scared her away from dating apps for the rest of her life. A first date that turns into a bank robbery? Now that’s a dating horror story.