Former officer accused in armored car heists awaits jury verdict

<p>Jury deliberations began Monday in the case of a former Santa Rosa police officer accused in a series of armored car robberies that netted him hundreds of thousands of dollars.</p><p>Robert “Steve” Starling, 36, faces 10 counts with enhancements that could send him to prison for 40 years if he is convicted.</p><p>Prosecutors said Starling robbed four armored cars in Santa Rosa, Sebastopol and Novato between 2007 and 2009. He's accused of making diversionary 911 calls during the Novato holdup and an aborted heist in Rohnert Park.</p><p>An accomplice in at least two of the robberies, Andrew “Cooper” Esslinger, 26, testified against Starling during the 12-day trial in exchange for leniency.</p><p>Starling's lawyer, Jeff Mitchell, conceded three robberies but said Starling didn't use a real firearm and didn't try to intimidate a poker buddy who also testified against him.</p><p>Starling was an officer with Santa Rosa for three years and at Sonoma State University for almost two years. Before the robberies, he worked as a guard for the Brinks armored car company.</p>