Federal jury convicts New York man in Hopkinton bank robbery last year

CEDAR RAPIDS - A New York man, who while armed with a knife, restrained tellers with zip ties as he and another man robbed a Hopkinton bank in 2016, was found guilty by a jury in federal court Thursday.

Daniel Louis Jackson, 27, of Younkers, New York, was found guilty of armed bank robbery, conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, aiding and abetting the use, carrying, and brandishing of a firearm and conspiracy to use, carry, and brandish a firearm during a crime of violence. The jury deliberated for about two hours Thursday.

Evidence at trial showed that Jackson moved to Muscatine in the summer of 2016 along with his co-defendant, Jason Centeno. At some point, Jackson obtained a .38 caliber revolver from an individual in Detroit, Mich., and he and Centeno planned to rob the Citizens State Bank on Oct. 21, 2016.

Both men jumped over the bank counter and while Jackson was armed with a knife and Centeno carrying a gun, demanded money from two tellers. While Centeno took money from one teller, Jackson forced the other teller to place her hands behind her back and he restrained her with zip ties, witnesses testified.

During the robbery, a third bank employee entered the bank and Jackson also ordered him to place his hands behind his bank and secured his hands with zip ties, testimony showed. Jackson and Centeno then left the bank with about $8,000, and returned to Muscatine.

Jackson and Centeno left Iowa, first going to Younkers, where Centeno left his gun at his mother's home, and later to Florida where they were eventually arrested in Daytona Beach, Fla., after their vehicle got stuck on the beach and officers ran the license plate, which showed the men were wanted in Iowa, according to court documents.

Evidence also showed authorities discovered various messages sent from Jackson to his 'associates” through Facebook messenger regarding Jackson trying get a .38 caliber revolver, testing the gun and getting ready to commit the bank robbery. Jackson also took and sent video of himself shooting the gun. There was also surveillance camera video from the bank and other places in town, which identified the two suspects.

Jackson faces a mandatory seven years and could face up to life in federal prison, a $1 million fine and 20 years of supervised release following any prison time.

Centeno pleaded guilty in September to armed bank robbery and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. He also faces a mandatory seven years and up to life in federal prison, a $500,000 fine and 10 years of supervised release following any prison time.

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