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Home » NorCal Bank Robber Sentenced For 17 Robberies, 2 Attempted Heists

NorCal Bank Robber Sentenced For 17 Robberies, 2 Attempted Heists

by CLAYCORD.com
18 comments

An Oakland man convicted of committing 17 Northern California bank robberies and two attempted heists within one year was sentenced in federal court in San Francisco Wednesday to eight years and one month in prison.

Duane Makela, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, who also ordered three years of supervised release after completion of the prison term.

Makela pleaded guilty before Breyer in October to carrying out 10 armed robberies of banks and credit unions, seven unarmed robberies and two attempted bank robberies between March 2018 and February 2019.

Defense attorneys said in a sentencing brief that Makela was addicted to heroin and methamphetamine at the time of the robberies.

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The robbed institutions included banks and credit unions in the East Bay (one in Pleasant Hill), Peninsula and towns in or near the Sierra.

In total, Makela stole $69,002.

CHARGE

DATE

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BANK OR CREDIT UNION

LOCATION

1.  Bank Robbery Mar.21, 2018 Pacific Service Pleasant Hill
2.  Bank Robbery Mar.24, 2018 Wells Fargo South Lake Tahoe
3.  Bank Robbery Mar.30, 2018 U.S. Bank Oakland
4.  Bank Robbery Apr.11, 2018 Pacific Service San Ramon
5.  Bank Robbery Apr.13, 2018 Comerica Palo Alto
6.  Bank Robbery Apr.17, 2018 Bank of the West Orinda
7. Attempted May 11, 2018 U.S Bank San Ramon
8. Bank Robbery May 12, 2018 Chase Oakland
9. Bank Robbery May 24, 2018 Sierra Central South Lake Tahoe
10. Bank Robbery June 6, 2018 U.S. Bank Roseville
11. Bank Robbery June 12, 2018 U.S. Bank Pollack Pines
12. Bank Robbery Aug.25, 2018 Wells Fargo Mill Valley
13. Attempted Oct.18, 2018 First Republic Burlingame
14. Bank Robbery Oct.19, 2018 Meriwest Credit Mountain View
15. Bank Robbery Oct.22, 2018 Chase San Francisco
16. Bank Robbery Nov.3, 2018 Wells Fargo Orinda
17. Bank Robbery Nov.5, 2018 U.S. Bank Alameda
18. Bank Robbery Dec.23, 2018 U.S. Bank Castro Valley
19. Bank Robbery Feb.4, 2019 Wells Fargo Palo Alto

18 comments


Rich January 17, 2020 - 9:12 AM - 9:12 AM

Only 8 years?!?! He used a gun. Judge needs to send a better message

Concordejet January 17, 2020 - 9:27 AM - 9:27 AM

Not telling us, how long their sentence are. Hopefully long time enoight to tjrow out the key

sign from above January 18, 2020 - 4:55 AM - 4:55 AM

Says 8 years and one month.

Rob January 17, 2020 - 10:03 AM - 10:03 AM

Before anyone starts yelling about people having guns to shoot the bad guy…

Cops – who are trained – hit their intended target usually between 30 to 50% of the time – those other bullets go somewhere…

Now take people who are not training regularly, give them a gun in a busy bank and say shoot the bad guy.

One bullet hits a bystander – that’ll cost the bank WAY more than $69,002…

Oh and about Armed Security Guards – remember regular cops accuracy – now get that at $17 an hour…

sign from above January 18, 2020 - 4:58 AM - 4:58 AM

Since you put it that way, we should also ban police from having weapons!

**SARCASM**

Ricardoh January 17, 2020 - 10:20 AM - 10:20 AM

I guess if he had robbed one bank he would have received a six month sentence.

Darwin January 17, 2020 - 10:21 AM - 10:21 AM

Only 8 years? We will be lucky if he serves 6 years. What message does this send?????
As for his heroin and meth addiction, who’s fault is that??? He still did it!
That’s a little more than 2 years for each armed robbery not including the attempted heists.
Once again, no personal accountability.
California, the criminals sanctuary

Carnac the Magnificent January 17, 2020 - 11:05 AM - 11:05 AM

@ Darwin

Keep in mind this is Federal time and not California time. There is no Federal parole system. He has to do his entire bit in a Federal penitentiary unlike California which allows parole – (the lowest form of custody).

He is eligible for 54 days per year off his sentence while in physical custody for good behavior. Assuming he is a good boy his entire time he will do approximately 6 years and 9’ish months in prison plus according to Rob the useless 3 years of Federal probation.

His sentence is actually 11 years 1 month. He can always be tossed back to Federal Penitentiary for probation violations during that 3 years time period.

If you think about it, he will do more time behind bars with the Feds then he would ever do if sentenced to state prison for the same time period…. probably even if sentenced to a longer state prison term.

Dawg January 17, 2020 - 11:25 AM - 11:25 AM

California has nothing to do with his sentence, he was sentenced in a federal court.

Darwin January 17, 2020 - 3:19 PM - 3:19 PM

@carnac & dawg
Thanks for the correction. As you know I’m disappointed in California’s justice system and now I’m disgusted with the Federal Justice system. No accountability

Reality says... January 17, 2020 - 11:32 AM - 11:32 AM

“Defense attorneys said in a sentencing brief that Makela was addicted to heroin and methamphetamine at the time of the robberies.”

Poor guy, now I understand why he only got 8 years.Seems fair. He can use the time to clean up, turn his life around and be a productive member of society like he was before his addiction kicked in. All the best Makela!

Well Folks January 18, 2020 - 8:38 AM - 8:38 AM

😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹

ON DA January 17, 2020 - 12:33 PM - 12:33 PM

er a and the 69,000 is a Christmas bonus?

Ilovepopcorn January 17, 2020 - 12:52 PM - 12:52 PM

Wow all those robberies and he only got $69,000? Too bad he was
not able to work at a real job. He could have made that money easier I would think. Drugs will make a person do dumb things.

chuckie the troll January 17, 2020 - 3:57 PM - 3:57 PM

Well, he will have 8 years to work on his addiction problem.

Doh January 17, 2020 - 5:20 PM - 5:20 PM

What does he have against Bank of America? They have money too.

Bluebird January 17, 2020 - 8:37 PM - 8:37 PM

I was wondering that, too. Also, US Bank had six branches robbed by this guy. I wonder why he preferred US Bank and Wells Fargo branches.

Mike January 18, 2020 - 2:54 PM - 2:54 PM

Wow… 8 years (or 6 if he behaves) for 19 crimes.

That is what is wrong with our justice system.


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