By Amanda Finnegan (contact)

Thu, Dec 4, 2008 (4:21 p.m.)

The man who committed eight violent robberies in Las Vegas during March is going to prison for more than four decades.

Enrique Hurtado, 35, of Las Vegas was sentenced to 44 years today by U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson after being convicted in August of the following crimes: armed bank robbery, bank robbery, use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, interference with commerce of armed robbery, interference with commerce by robbery, interference with commerce by attempted robbery and deported alien found unlawfully in the U.S.

Between March 12 and March 17, in Las Vegas and North Las Vegas Hurtado robbed a Bank of America, the Opera House Casino, a CVS Pharmacy, two 7-11 stores, a Sinclair Gas Station, an EZ Stop gas station, and a Nevada Federal Credit Union, according to information from the U.S. Attorney's office for the district of Nevada.

The U.S. Attorney's office said that at the Opera House Casino, Hurtado fired his gun at the cage cashier when the cashier attempted to flee to another room. The bullet missed the cashier and struck a filing cabinet.

During most of the other robberies, Hurtado threatened to shoot or injure customers or cashiers, and in one instance struck a cashier in the head with brass knuckles, U.S. Attorney’s office said.

The case was investigated by the FBI, Metro Police and the North Las Vegas Police Department, and was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Greg Brower.