ROBBER OF VINE GROVE BANK SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS

David L. Huber, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, announced that on January 11, 2007, JAMES MICHAEL CURTIS, age 40, of 749 Deckard School Road, Rineyville, Kentucky, was sentenced in United States District Court, Louisville, Kentucky, for armed robbery of First Federal Savings Bank, 4055 Flaherty Road, Vine Grove, Kentucky, on February 13,2006, and brandishing a firearm during the robbery.

Chief Judge John G. Heyburn II, United States District Court, sentenced Curtis to 10 years and 1 month imprisonment, plus 4 years supervised release following incarceration. There is no parole in the federal judicial system. In addition, restitution in the amount of $189.79 was imposed.

On September 16, 2006, Curtis pleaded guilty to and acknowledged that on February 13, 2006, at about 1:00 p.m. he entered First Federal Savings Bank, 4055 Flaherty Road, Vine Grove, Kentucky, wearing a nylon stocking over his head. Once inside the bank, Curtis ordered the teller onto the floor, jumped the counter, collected $8,400 of the bank's money and then fled the scene. Curtis also admitted that he carried and brandished during the robbery a loaded .380 caliber Accutek handgun. Witnesses observed Curtis leave the bank. A short time later Curtis wrecked the get-away vehicle and was taken into custody with the assistance of the Meade County Sheriff's Department, Meade County Jail personnel, and members of the Meade County Fire Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ream, and it was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kentucky State Police and the Meade County Sheriff's Office.

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DLH:RR:ls:1/10/07