ST. LOUIS — A con man who worked along side Gerald police this spring

will spent five years in federal prison following a sentencing hearing

Friday in U.S. District Court in downtown St. Louis.

Bill A. Jakob had no comments during the hearing before U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel. When asked afterward if he was remorseful, during an impromptu press conference in the courthouse lobby, Jakob began to speak but was stopped from commenting by his lawyer, Joel Schwartz.

Sippel sentenced Jakob to five years in a federal prison facility in Texarkana, Texas, and three years of supervised parole following his release.

Jakob was also ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution for defrauding the Maryland Heights, Mo., specialty lock firm Total Lock & Security. Jakob must forfeit any and all tax refunds due him, or lottery winnings, to help pay off the fine. He was also assessed a $2,300 special assessment, $100 for each of the 23 felony counts issued against him in a grand jury indictment, which was required to be paid before he left the courthouse.

Hal Goldsmith, the Assistant U.S. District Attorney handling prosecution on the case, however, pledged to obtain any money Jakob might receive from a reported movie deal to pay back the lock company Jakob defrauded.

“If Bill Jakob were to get any monies from a movie deal, or a book deal, the government, I can assure you, would take substantial steps to recover those monies for the victims, and for the fines and special assessments,” Goldsmith told reporters gathered in the lobby beneath words Sippel quoted during the sentencing hearing.

Sippel began the hearing reviewing the presentence investigation report issued on Jakob. Jakob’s attorney, Joel Schwartz, filed written statements on Dec. 3 and 4 which objected to “factual statements in the report.” Both documents, and a Dec. 19 “statement of reasons” filed with the court were listed as “sealed” in court records.

An attorney for the Missouri Press Association said judges may seal documents such as a presentence investigation if findings of previously sealed court business are included in the report. Schwartz also requested a Sept. 29 side-bar discussion with  Sippel and Goldsmith, held during the hearing when Jakob pled guilty, be filed “under seal.”

Goldsmith offered no objection to Schwartz’s motion. Sippel noted none of the objections affected the sentencing guidelines or range of punishment due Jakob.

Sippel ruled to accept the “amended presentence report to state Mr. Jakob objects to (the) statement and argues they did not take place.”

Sippel gave Jakob the opportunity to make a statement but he declined. The judge noted the presentence report suggested a lesser term of imprisonment, 46 to 57 months, was possible. Goldsmith, however, noted “The government felt very strongly (the defendant) deserves punishment.” He also reiterated the U.S. District Attorney’s stance that the 60-month minimum sentence under the September plea agreement be retained.

“That’s what the government believes is fair,” said Goldsmith, addressing the bench. And, he added, it was the “lengthiest presentence report I’ve ever seen.”

“Unfortunately you present a pretty common situation,” the judge told Jakob. “You possess a certain level of skills and abilities.”

However, the judge noted, he chose to use those abilities in an illegal manner. Sippel, noting the inscription on the rotunda viewed as you enter the lobby of the government building, quoted George Washington, saying, “The administration of justice is the firmest pillar of government.”

Under statutory guidelines, Sippel sentenced Jakob to 60 months in the bureau of prisons on counts 1, 2, and 23 of the indictment and 36 months for counts 3 to 22 with the terms to run concurrently. Jakob has 10 days, or until Monday, Dec. 29, to appeal the sentencing.

Jakob remains free on a $50,000 bond until he is told when to report directly to prison in Texas. That announcement is expected within three to four weeks, Goldsmith told reporters afterward.

The Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Texarkana is a low security facility housing male inmates.  An adjacent satellite prison camp houses minimum security male offenders. FCI Texarkana is located in northeast Texas near the Arkansas border, 70 miles north of Shreveport, La., and 175 miles east of Dallas, Texas. Schwartz requested the site due to the availability of vocational services for his client and the relative closeness of the prison to Jakob’s family.