Judge Sentences Man to Serve 30 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms and Bank Robbery Violations
| U.S. Attorney's Office June 13, 2011 |
United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy announced that George Djura Jakubec was sentenced in U.S. District Court in San Diego by the Honorable Larry A. Burns to serve the mandatory-minimum sentence of thirty (30) years in prison. The sentence is based on Jakubec’s conviction for two counts of carrying a firearm during and in relation to crimes of violence, that is, the November 13, 2009 robbery of the Bank of America, located at 1190 East Ocean Air Drive, San Diego, California, and the November 27, 2009 attempted robbery of the same bank branch. Jakubec entered his guilty pleas on March 14, 2010. In addition to pleading to these two counts, Jakubec took responsibility in his plea agreement for the conduct alleged in all counts of the indictment.
According to court documents, Jakubec was arrested by law enforcement on November 18, 2010, after a gardener performing yard work at his residence was injured by an accidental explosion of highly volatile explosive material in Jakubec’s backyard. On December 2, 2010, a federal indictment was handed up charging Jakubec with eight counts relating to the unlawful manufacture and possession of destructive devices at his Escondido, California residence, the robbery or attempted robbery of four San Diego County banks, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to two of those bank robberies.
As part of his guilty plea, Jakubec admitted that he manufactured and possessed the explosives and explosive devices found at his Escondido residence, robbed or attempted to rob four San Diego County Bank of America branches, and carried firearms in furtherance of two of those bank robberies. Specifically, Jakubec admitted that from a date unknown to on or about November 18, 2010, he illegally manufactured and possessed certain high explosives at his residence in San Marcos, California, including significant quantities of Hexamethylene Tiperoxide Diamine (HMTD), Pentaerythitol Tetranitrate (PETN), and Erythritol Tetranitrate (ETN). Jakubec further admitted that on or before November 18, 2010, he illegally manufactured and possessed at least twenty-two (22) destructive devices, including nine detonators, thirteen grenade hulls and significant quantities of high explosives. With respect to the bank robberies, Jakubec not only admitted to the robbery and attempted robbery of the East Ocean Air Drive Bank of America Branch, for which he obtained $43,012, but also admitted to the June 25, 2010, robbery of the Bank of America branch at 9460 Scranton Road, San Diego, California, and the July 17, 2010, robbery of the Bank of America branch located at 11855 Carmel Mountain Road, San Diego, California, in which he obtained an additional $11,880. In each of these bank robberies, Jakubec admitted that he obtained the money by threatening the bank tellers. Jakubec admitted that he carried a loaded firearm during and in relation to the robbery and attempted robbery of the East Ocean Air Drive Bank of America branch, and that he intended to use the firearm he carried on those occasions to intimidate bank employees, if necessary.
U.S. Attorney Duffy also praised the coordinated effort and dedication of all of the state, local and federal law enforcement partners who were involved in the investigation of Jakubec and responded to the incident.
Case Number: 10cr4848LAB
DEFENDANT George Djura Jakubec
SUMMARY OF CONVICTIONSTitle 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii) and (C)(ii)—Use and Carrying of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence
INVESTIGATING AGENCIESBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and ExplosivesFederal Bureau of InvestigationSan Diego County Sheriff’s Department
OTHER INVESTIGATING AGENCIES/FIRST RESPONDERSOffice of the San Diego County District Attorney San Diego Fire Department, Bomb SquadSan Diego County Hazardous Materials San Diego County Office of Emergency Services Escondido Fire Department San Marcos Fire Department Escondido Police Department California Highway Patrol Office of Public Health, Health and Human Services Agency, County of San Diego