For Immediate Release

November 13, 2008

INDIANA MAN SENTENCED FOR ARMED BANK ROBBERIES

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on November 13, 2008, JACOB MESSIC, age 23, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced in United States District Court in Benton. JACOB MESSIC, who had previously pled guilty to two counts of armed bank robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, was sentenced to 462 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release. JACOB MESSIC was also ordered to pay $49,298.00 in restitution and a $400 assessment.

The factual basis submitted at the time of JACOB MESSIC’s guilty plea established that, on July 20, 2006, JACOB MESSIC, his father RODNEY MESSIC, and JOHN BROWN robbed the First Neighbor Bank in Casey, Illinois. On August 23, 2006, JACOB MESSIC, RODNEY MESSIC and JOHN BROWN robbed the Elkville State Bank in Elkville, Illinois. The MESSIC’s were armed during the robberies and during the Elkville robbery, JACOB MESSIC struck a bank employee with a firearm. RODNEY MESSIC has previously been sentenced to 499 months’ imprisonment for his role in the armed bank robberies. JOHN BROWN has pled guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Murphysboro Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Casey Police Department, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, 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 Attorney Amanda A. Robertson.