Calif. bomb maker gets 30 years, explosives-packed home was burned by authorties
(CBS/AP) SAN DIEGO, Calif. - An unemployed software consultant who stockpiled huge amounts of powerful explosives in his suburban home was sentenced in San Diego Monday to 30 years in federal prison.
George Jakubec, 55, received the mandatory minimum sentence for brandishing a firearm while robbing a bank. Other charges were dropped under a plea agreement in which Jakubec admitted storing the explosives and robbing several banks.
U.S. District Judge Larry Burns imposed the 30 year mandatory minimum sentence, although he said that the punishment seemed excessive.
The defendant reportedly said nothing at his sentencing and told his attorney not to discuss his motives, which had been a mystery throughout the trial.
Jakubec was arrested in November when a gardener accidentally set off an explosion in his backyard in Escondido. The gardener, who suffered eye, chest and arm injuries, had stepped on what authorities believe was a byproduct of a highly unstable chemical, HMTD.
Due to the amount of homemade explosives in the house, authorities said that they had no choice other than to burn it down last year.
Although Jakubec possessed substances used by suicide bombers, assistant U.S. attorney Rees Morgan said an exhaustive investigation found no evidence that the immigrant from former Yugoslavia was a terrorist or that he even intended to hurt anyone or damage property.
"He had so many things going for him," said Jakubec's attorney Michael Berg. "He's very, very smart. He had a good job, was making good money, and something just basically broke down."
Under his plea agreement, Jakubec agreed to reimburse San Diego County the $541,000 it cost authorities to destroy the home, but his attorney scheduled a hearing to determine if that is necessary, considering that Jakubec is in no position to pay.
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