San Francisco, California - Darius Gilbert was sentenced Tuesday to over 30 years in prison, and ordered to pay over $148,000 in restitution for a series of nine bank robberies, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett.

Gilbert, 49, of San Francisco, pleaded guilty on May 10, 2016, to five counts of armed bank robbery, three counts of unarmed bank robbery, escape, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and using, carrying, or possessing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  According to the plea agreement, Gilbert admitted that he had escaped on March 26, 2015, while transferring to a halfway house after serving a prior sentence in federal prison for bank robbery.  Shortly after his escape, Gilbert robbed eight banks in the Bay Area and one in Elk Grove, Calif., between March and June 2015.  During three of the robberies, Gilbert pointed a gun at tellers and bank managers.  He brandished a knife during two of the robberies, and verbally threatened tellers in four of the robberies.  In total, Gilbert took $148,090 from the nine banks.

Gilbert was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 18, 2015.  He was charged with five counts of armed bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2113(a) and (d); three counts of unarmed bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a); escape, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 751(a); two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1); and three counts of using, possessing, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).  Pursuant to his plea agreement, Gilbert pleaded guilty to all the charges except for one of the § 922(g) counts and two of the § 924(c) counts.

The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Vince Chhabria. Judge Chhabria also sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, and ordered Gilbert to pay $148,090 in restitution.  The defendant was immediately remanded into custody.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rita F. Lin is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk and Theresa Benitez.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.