A Nebraska judge handed down stiff prison sentences for cases in Pawnee and Johnson County, Nebraska.
Engstrom was sentenced to 15 to 20 years for robbery, and 8 to 12 years for attempted possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Those sentences to run consecutively, stem from the robbery of gas station in Pawnee City.
In Johnson County, Engstrom pleaded guilty to five counts of attempted assault on a law officer. Those charges came from his fleeing police after the robbery. Engstrom fired at officers during the high speed pursuit. He ran out of ammunition after getting his car stuck in a field near St. Mary and was arrested. For firing at the officers, Judge Daniel Bryan sentenced Engstrom to an additional 60 to 75 years in prison.
Johnson County Attorney Julie Smith stated that she is pleased with the sentence. “The crimes Engstrom committed were very serious, and a lengthy prison sentence is the appropriate punishment for those crimes.
“It is fortunate that no law enforcement officers, Casey’s employees, passengers in Engstrom’s car, or bystanders were seriously injured or killed during this incident. Michael Engstrom won’t have the opportunity to put innocent people in harm’s way again.”
Engstrom will not be eligible for release until he’s 87 years old.
Engstrom still faces a murder charge in Topeka, Kansas. Smith said she expects prosecutors there to seek his extradition soon.
Engstrom’s wife Jamie was also charged in the case. She’s serving six to ten years in prison for Nebraska charges, and awaits trial for the Topeka homicide.
Both are charged with murder and attempted murder in Shawnee County, Kansas for a shooting near downtown Topeka that claimed the life of Ricky Mitchell and injured Bridget Gakle.
Michael Engstrom also faces a federal indictment on unrelated weapons charges.
They were married two days before the murder.