The Ocean Pines man who held up a branch of BB&T bank last March pleaded guilty last Friday, U.S. Attorney for Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein announced Monday.
In a release from his office, Rosenstein said Jeff V. Hare, 53, pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
According his plea agreement, Hare entered the Racetrack Road branch on March 13, 2015, wearing a ski mask and wielding a handgun.
He told the bank tellers in the bank’s lobby that he had a gun and was robbing the bank.
He demanded that the tellers give him only 50- and 100-dollar bills, and that they not give him any dye packs. Hare moved through the lobby from employee to employee, pointing the handgun at each and demanding money.
Hare also demanded each teller give him their car keys and purse, but the tellers told Hare they did not have them available. Hare stole approximately $2,850 in cash from the bank.
Hare admitted that after robbing the tellers in the lobby, he found a bank employee who had locked herself in a back room of the bank. He forced open the locked door and demanded her car keys and her purse. The employee gave Hare her purse, which contained cash and personal effects, and the keys to her car, a 2007 Kia Spectra, which was parked in the bank’s parking lot. Hare exited the bank and fled in the stolen 2007 Kia Spectra, which he abandoned at a nearby business.
Hare was arrested later that evening at a residence in Ocean Pines. At the time of his arrest, he was still in possession of the money stolen from the bank.
He has been detained since his arrest. During that time, Hare attempted to impede the investigation of the armed bank robbery and carjacking by seeking to arrange for the disposal of evidence of the crimes.
On May 1, 2015, an associate of Hare visited him at the Worcester County Detention Center in Snow Hill, Maryland. During that visit, Hare told his associate that he was being framed and that unidentified persons had a box of garbage that would incriminate him. Hare asked the person to retrieve the box from an address in Ocean Pines, which was Hare’s former residence.
On May 6, 2015, Hare called his associate and asked him, “By going to that address, did you get rid of the trash?” referring to the box Hare had asked the associate to retrieve. The box contained the ski mask Hare wore during the robbery and carjacking, a .38 caliber revolver believed to have been used during the robbery, and the purse Hare stole from the bank employee, including her driver’s license.
Hare faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison for armed bank robbery and a mandatory minimum of seven years and up to life in prison for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for April 12 at 9:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police and the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary A. Myers and Matthew J. Maddox, who are prosecuting the case.
In a release from his office, Rosenstein said Jeff V. Hare, 53, pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
According his plea agreement, Hare entered the Racetrack Road branch on March 13, 2015, wearing a ski mask and wielding a handgun.
He told the bank tellers in the bank’s lobby that he had a gun and was robbing the bank.
He demanded that the tellers give him only 50- and 100-dollar bills, and that they not give him any dye packs. Hare moved through the lobby from employee to employee, pointing the handgun at each and demanding money.
Hare also demanded each teller give him their car keys and purse, but the tellers told Hare they did not have them available. Hare stole approximately $2,850 in cash from the bank.
Hare admitted that after robbing the tellers in the lobby, he found a bank employee who had locked herself in a back room of the bank. He forced open the locked door and demanded her car keys and her purse. The employee gave Hare her purse, which contained cash and personal effects, and the keys to her car, a 2007 Kia Spectra, which was parked in the bank’s parking lot. Hare exited the bank and fled in the stolen 2007 Kia Spectra, which he abandoned at a nearby business.
Hare was arrested later that evening at a residence in Ocean Pines. At the time of his arrest, he was still in possession of the money stolen from the bank.
He has been detained since his arrest. During that time, Hare attempted to impede the investigation of the armed bank robbery and carjacking by seeking to arrange for the disposal of evidence of the crimes.
On May 1, 2015, an associate of Hare visited him at the Worcester County Detention Center in Snow Hill, Maryland. During that visit, Hare told his associate that he was being framed and that unidentified persons had a box of garbage that would incriminate him. Hare asked the person to retrieve the box from an address in Ocean Pines, which was Hare’s former residence.
On May 6, 2015, Hare called his associate and asked him, “By going to that address, did you get rid of the trash?” referring to the box Hare had asked the associate to retrieve. The box contained the ski mask Hare wore during the robbery and carjacking, a .38 caliber revolver believed to have been used during the robbery, and the purse Hare stole from the bank employee, including her driver’s license.
Hare faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison for armed bank robbery and a mandatory minimum of seven years and up to life in prison for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for April 12 at 9:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police and the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary A. Myers and Matthew J. Maddox, who are prosecuting the case.