U.S. Department of Justice

                                                                                    United States Attorney

                                                                                    Northern District of Indiana

                                                                                                                              5400 Federal Plaza, Suite 1500                                                (219) 937- 5500

                                                                                                                              Hammond, Indiana 46320                                          FAX: (219) 852- 2770

TTD: (219) 933- 1250

                                                                                                     April 19, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Released By: Joseph S. Van Bokkelen

                  United States Attorney

                  Northern District of Indiana

                  5400 Federal Plaza

                 Hammond, Indiana 46320

Contact Person: Dean Lanter

                  Assistant United States Attorney

                                       219/937-5500

                                     PRESS RELEASE

DEFENDANT CONVICTED

          BRIAWN DECARLOS JACKSON, age 25, of Gary, Indiana, was found guilty last night at the conclusion of a four-day jury trial in Fort Wayne, Indiana, of both counts of the indictment he was tried on: aggravated bank robbery with a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a) & (d); and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, to wit: aggravated bank robbery with a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). JACKSON participated in the August 1, 2003, armed bank robbery of Fifth Third Bank, Merrillville, Indiana, in which three masked men, at least two of whom brandished weapons at customers and employees, robbed the bank, with JACKSON being the robber that jumped over the teller counter. The three men fled the scene in a stolen vehicle before police could apprehend them on August 1.

          JACKSON was arrested two weeks later on August 15, 2003, following a 911 call from Centier Bank in Munster that described an individual acting suspiciously outside of the bank in clothing much too warm for the hot summer day. The Highland Police engaged in a high speed pursuit of JACKSON that resulted in JACKSON crashing the stolen vehicle on I-94 during Friday rush hour traffic and fleeing on foot before being apprehended a few minutes later. JACKSON was dressed in all long-sleeved clothing and a denim jacket at the time of his arrest.

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