Bank Robber Sentenced To 10 1/2 Years

BANK ROBBER STRIKES FEAR IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS

Urbana, IL – In a shocking turn of events, Willie B. Franklin, Jr., 38, has been ordered to serve a 10-year, 5-month prison sentence for a string of brazen bank robberies that left residents of central Illinois shaken.

According to court documents, Franklin was responsible for the December 2012 robberies of four banks in central Illinois and one bank in southern Iowa. The victims of these heinous crimes included Main Source Bank in Kankakee County, PNC Bank in Peoria County, Homestar Bank and Financial Services in Kankakee County, First Mid-Il Bank and Trust in Adams County, and US Bank in southern Iowa.

Franklin’s downfall came when he received an anonymous letter in May 2014, which led investigators to discover that he had inherited a substantial sum of money following his father’s death in March 2014. As a result, U.S. District Judge Michael P. McCuskey issued a court order on May 19, 2014, requiring Franklin to turn over any inheritance he received up to the value of the $46,000 restitution owed.

Franklin, who was arrested on January 28, 2013, in the Middle District of Florida, has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest. He pleaded guilty to the charges on January 31, 2014, and has now been sentenced to serve his time in prison.

The investigation into Franklin’s crimes was a collaborative effort between the FBI, the Urbana Police Department, the Quincy Police Department, the Peoria Police Department, the Decatur Police Department, the Manteno Police Department, and the Iowa City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Bohm prosecuted the case.

As Franklin begins his 10-year, 5-month sentence, the people of central Illinois can rest a little easier knowing that justice has been served. However, the shocking nature of these crimes serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and community involvement in the fight against crime.

Franklin’s case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of committing such heinous crimes. His 10-year, 5-month sentence is a testament to the hard work and dedication of law enforcement agencies and prosecutors who work tirelessly to bring perpetrators to justice.

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