LawFuel.com – 07 August, 2009 – Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. Attorney A. Brian Albritton announces that U.S. District Judge Henry Lee Adams, Jr. today sentenced Jabari Markeith Hird (age 29, of Orlando) to 34 years and 2 months in federal prison for conspiring to commit armed bank robbery and for brandishing a firearm. The court also ordered the defendant to pay $147,111.11 in restitution to the Country Federal Credit Union in Baker County. Hird had pleaded guilty on March 23, 2009.
On the morning of April 12, 2005, Hird and Rasheed Silvera (age 31, of Orlando) drove to Glen St. Mary and left a get away car in a residential area near the Mercantile Bank. While parked across the street from the Mercantile Bank in another vehicle, a man approached the car and spoke with Hird. After the encounter the pair decided to leave the area and rob nearby the Country Federal Credit Union. Before entering the credit union, they pair tied shirts over their faces. As they ran into the credit union Hird was waiving and pointing a firearm. Hird and Silvera told the tellers that they should do exactly what was asked of them if they ever wanted to see their children again. Hird jumped over the barrier into the teller line and chased one of the tellers as she ran to the back door. Hird grabbed the teller and dragged her back and demanded that she open the vault. Ultimately another teller opened the vault and they stole more than $147,000. As they drove their get away car through the residential area, they threw their jackets, gloves, a hat, a T-shirt, and a pillowcase out of the car window. Deputies later discovered the discarded items and turned them over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The FBI forensics laboratory in Quantico, Virginia tested the clothing and Silvera’s DNA was found on the hat, a T-shirt and a pair of gloves. Hird’s DNA was discovered on a jacket.
Silvera was sentenced previously to 92 months in federal prison for armed robbery.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Baker County Sheriff’s Office.
It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys A. Tysen Duva and Jay Taylor.
