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Press Release

Career Offender Sentenced For Armed Bank Robbery

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia

ATLANTA – Steven L. Jackson has been sentenced today to 24 years and six months in prison for recidivist armed bank robber and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

“Jackson terrorized the bank employees, forcing them to lie face down on the floor of the bank while he pointed a gun at them,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates.  “His long history of committing violent crimes merited the lengthy sentence that he received, and his removal from our community will make the Atlanta area a safer place.”

J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated: “The streets of our community will be much safer with today’s sentencing of Mr. Jackson as a career offender.  The FBI will continue its investigative focus toward such repeat offenders that plague our communities and burden our criminal justice resources that have to deal with them.”

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court:  On Thursday, April 9, 2009, at approximately 8:20 a.m., Jackson entered BB&T Bank located at 6343 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs, Ga.  He entered the bank through a rear window prior to the bank opening for the day, but after employees had arrived.  Jackson placed tape on the glass of one of the rear windows of the bank and then broke the glass.  Once inside the bank, Jackson walked to the branch manager’s office and pointed a gun at him.  Jackson ordered the manager and two more bank employees to take him to the vault where he stole $16,180.30 in United States currency.  After taking the money, Jackson forced the employees to lie face down on the floor of the bank while he fled the scene.

Because Jackson has several prior convictions relating to robbery, he was sentenced as a Career Offender.  His prior convictions include the following:

  • A May 2, 1986, sentence of four years of imprisonment for robbery, arising from an October 29, 1984, arrest;
  • A July 30, 1999, sentence of twenty years of imprisonment for robbery, arising from an October 30, 1996, arrest; and
  • An October 10, 1997, sentence of eight years of imprisonment for conspiracy to commit armed robbery, arising from a May 9, 1997, arrest.

Jackson was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Steve C. Jones to 24 years and six months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $16,180.30.  Jackson pleaded guilty on November 2, 2012, to the offenses of armed bank robbery, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.

Updated April 8, 2015