A St. Albans man convicted of robbing a pharmacy in West Rutland was sentenced to 40 months behind bars this week.

Christopher J. McCarthy, 43, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal charge of obstructing commerce by robbery.

On Monday, Judge Christina Reiss sentenced McCarthy to more than three years in jail followed by three years of supervised release. He must also pay $405 in restitution to Rite Aid.

McCarthy was arrested on Feb. 11 hours after he approached a clerk at the pharmacy and handed her a note that demanded prescription painkiller drugs and the promise that if the demands were met “no one will get hurt.”

In an interview with police, McCarthy said he was addicted to the drugs and robbed the pharmacy out of desperation.

McCarthy was originally charged in a Vermont court, but the state dismissed its charge against him in April to allow the federal charge to be brought.