Serial Bank Robber Goes to Prison for the Rest of His Life

GAINESVILLE, GA—BRUCE ALLEN HUGHES, 48, of Blairsville, Georgia, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Richard W. Story to serve 127 years in federal prison on charges of conspiracy to commit the armed robbery of 29 banks over 11 years, five counts of armed bank robbery, six counts of using a firearm during the commission of a violent felony, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Acting United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said of today’s sentence, “This defendant victimized unsuspecting customers and employees of dozens of banks over the course of a decade. Today’s sentence effectively and justly ends the reign of terror of the Crown Royal Bandit, leaving him to spend the rest of his days behind bars.”

HUGHES was sentenced to 127 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of approximately $300,000. HUGHES pleaded guilty to the charges on August 21, 2009.

According to Acting United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: HUGHES pleaded guilty to charges related to armed bank robberies that occurred between May 7, 1997, and February 21, 2008, in the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia. HUGHES, who was also known as “Brian Scott Hughes,” “Bruce Alan Hughes,” and “Bruce Allen Hughes,” participated in 29 armed bank robberies, many of which involved the use of a mask and the display of a gun, which was fired during two of the bank robberies.

The FBI and other agencies referred to the string of robberies as having been committed by the “Crown Royal Bandit” because in the first few bank robberies the robber used purple “Crown Royal” liquor bags to collect the cash. The charges also included one robbery and use of a firearm during the commission of a violent felony in the Middle District of Georgia (Athens). In total, HUGHES stole over $300,000 in the robberies.

HUGHES was charged in a second superseding indictment in the Northern District of Georgia in June 2009 on two counts of conspiracy to commit armed bank robberies, four counts of armed bank robbery, five counts of use of a firearm during the commission of a violent felony, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Today, he was sentenced for all of those charges after pleading guilty in August 2009.

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Significant assistance in this case was provided by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, the Banks County Sheriff’s Department, the Fannin County Sheriff’s Department, and the Madison County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Jackson and Angela Jordan prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact Sally Q. Yates, Acting United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney's Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan.

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