COEUR d'ALENE - A 40-year-old Spokane man on Tuesday was given a federal sentence of five years for robbing a bank in Coeur d'Alene and threatening to have a gun.

Michael R. Kent's federal sentence will be served while he's also serving a 129-month sentence in Washington state for two bank robberies in Spokane in December 2009.

According to a plea agreement for the Coeur d'Alene bank robbery case, Kent admitted that on Jan. 12, 2010, he approached a teller at a Washington Trust Bank branch, and handed her a note demanding a bundle of cash.

The note also made reference to a gun. After being given $3,175 in bundled cash, Kent fled the branch, located at 218 Lakeside Ave.

U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered Kent to serve three years of supervised release and pay $3,175 in restitution to Washington Trust Bank.

In July, he pleaded guilty to the Coeur d'Alene robbery.

Assistant U.S. attorney Michael Mitchell said Kent stole the money from the Coeur d'Alene bank, and the two others, using intimidation and threats of violence.

Mitchell said that while Kent threatened he had a gun in each robbery, no evidence has been presented that shows he did use one.

Kent has prior convictions for forgery and embezzlement.

Before being sentenced, Kent told the court that his life was "spiraling out of control" at the time he robbed the banks. Unpaid bills were stacking up and work was hard to come by, he said.

He decided that robbing banks would help solve some of his problems.

He said he regretted his "selfish decisions," which he acknowledged hurt many people.

He has been in federal custody since February. He has been held at Bonner County jail.

Law enforcement officers sealed off several blocks in downtown Coeur d'Alene for about an hour to search for him after he held up the branch.

Video footage of the robbery released to the media assisted law enforcement in identifying and apprehending him.

FBI agents searched Kent's Spokane residence and discovered clothing that matched the items worn by the bank robber, including a jacket, clothing and boots.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Idaho State Police and the Coeur d'Alene Police Department.