United States Attorney Carol C. Lam announced that Brian Edward Hansen was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in San Diego by the Honorable John A. Houston to serve 120 months in custody, based on Hansen’s conviction for bank robbery. Judge Houston also ordered that Hansen serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his term of incarceration.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Manion, who prosecuted the case, Hansen was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2006. The indictment charged that on December 24, 2005, Hansen escaped from the Pacific Furlough Facility in San Diego where he was finishing a sentence imposed in 2004 for importation of marijuana. While on escape, Hansen allegedly robbed three San Diego-area banks: Union Bank of California, 3900 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, of $1000; Union Bank of California, 580 North Second Street, El Cajon, of $5,000; and Pacific Trust Bank, 5508 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, of $780.

Hansen was arrested on January 11, 2006, after entering the United States from Mexico through a pedestrian lane at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Customs and Border Protection officers detained Hansen after law enforcement databases revealed his outstanding warrant for escape.

Pursuant to a plea agreement, Hansen pled guilty to one count of bank robbery for his January 10, 2006, robbery of Pacific Trust Bank. According to court documents, on that date, Hansen entered Pacific Trust Bank and presented a teller with a demand note. In response to the note, the teller gave Hansen $780, and Hansen fled the bank. As part of his sentence, Judge Houston ordered that Hansen make full restitution of that amount as well as the money he stole from the other two banks, for a total of $6,780.

U.S. Attorney Lam praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Bank Robbery Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, the San Diego Police Department, the El Cajon Police Department, and Customs and Border Protection, for their investigation and timely apprehension of Hansen.

DEFENDANT
Brian Edward Hansen
Age: 33

SUMMARY OF CHARGE
Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2113(a) (Bank Robbery)
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years’ incarceration $250,000 fine Five years of supervised release

AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego Police Department
U.S. Marshals Service
El Cajon Police Department
Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security