Horne

A Baltimore man was sentenced Wednesday to 16 to 45 years in a state prison for robbing four York County banks while on the run from authorities for committing bank robberies in Franklin County and Maryland.

Common Pleas Judge Richard K. Renn handed down the sentence after Corey Richard Horne, 43, was found guilty by juries during a series of trials that were held in April and May.

As deputy prosecutor T.L. Kearney asked that the maximum allowed sentences be imposed, he said Horne showed no signs of remorse throughout the trails.

"After four separate trails, he still denies his involvement" in the robberies, Kearney told Renn.

The maximum sentence Horne could have received under sentencing guidelines was 25 to 50 years, said George Margetas, Horne's attorney.

Despite Horne's not receiving the maximum, Kearney said he's happy with the sentence imposed, especially since the terms will run consecutively to each other and to the prison terms Horne is currently serving for the Franklin County and Maryland bank robberies.

Margetas said he, too, felt the sentence was fair, considering he thought they would have been more harsh.

Horne was also ordered to pay a total of $10,883 in restitution to the four York County banks he robbed. He will receive credit for time served, Renn said.

The robberies: Horne robbed:

* Fulton Bank, 1500 Kenneth Road in West Manchester Township, on April 17, 2009; $7,110 taken

* Fulton Bank, 1102 Shrewsbury Commons Ave. in Shrewsbury Township, on April 25, 2009; $1,310 taken

* Wachovia Bank, 50 Haines Road in Springettsbury Township, on April 29, 2009; $1,333 taken

* PNC Bank, 2430 E. Market St. in Springettsbury Township, on May 11, 2009; $1,130 taken.

No weapons were shown during the robberies, police said.

Cases dismissed: The trials almost didn't happen because in April 2011, Renn dismissed all four York County cases at the request of Horne's then-defense attorney Adam Witkonis.

The judge determined an interstate agreement on prisoners requires them to be tried within 120 days of being brought to a jurisdiction, and that too much time had passed.

But the York County District Attorney's Office appealed to the state Superior Court, arguing that when Horne was brought to Pennsylvania from Maryland, Franklin County authorities first took custody of him and didn't turn him over to York County until well beyond the 120 days. The appeals court reinstated all four cases.

Appeal: After the sentencing hearing, Renn granted Horne permission to represent himself when he appeals the cases, something Horne indicated he will do.

"I don't care what the sentence is because I have no intention of serving it," Horne said during the sentencing hearing.

Horne said told Renn that he feels "it necessary" to represent himself because he says he didn't receive sufficient representation during the trials.

Margetas declined to comment about representing Horne.

But Renn was quick to defend Margetas during the hearing.

"Having sat through four trials I these cases ... we thought he got excellent representation," Renn said.

- Reach Greg Gross at ggross@yorkdispatch.com.