NEWS RELEASE
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
A. COURTNEY COX
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

Nine Executive Drive, Fairview Heights, Illinois 62208, Telephone (618) 628-3700

EVANSVILLE, INDIANA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO ARMED BANK ROBBERIES

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on August 14, 2008, JACOB L. MESSIC, age 23, of Evansville, Indiana, entered guilty pleas to two counts of armed bank robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The offenses occurred on July 20, 2006, at the First Neighbor Bank in Casey, Illinois, and on August 23, 2006, at the Elkville State Bank in Elkville, Illinois. The armed bank robbery offenses carry a penalty of up to 25 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of 5 years’ supervised release. One count of brandishing a firearm carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years’ imprisonment and the second count of brandishing a firearm carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment. The firearm offense sentences must be served consecutive to MESSIC’s armed bank robbery sentence. One co-defendant has previously pled guilty and one co-defendant has pled not guilty and is awaiting a September 8, 2008, jury trial.

The investigation was conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Murphysboro Police Department, Casey Police Department, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the United States Marshals Service pursuant to their participation in the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. The Owensboro, Kentucky, Police Department, and McCracken County Sheriff’s Department also participated in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda A. Robertson and George A. Norwood.