FRANCISCO MARTINEZ, 32, Convicted of Bank Robbery in Lake County, Illinois

A federal jury in Chicago has convicted 32-year-old FRANCISCO MARTINEZ of bank robbery in Lake County, Illinois. On December 20, 2021, Martinez entered a First Midwest Bank branch in Round Lake, Illinois, and handed the teller a folded piece of paper that read, "40k, 30 seconds, no tricks, go now."

Martinez then raised his shirt, showing what appeared to be the handle of a firearm tucked into his waistband. He briefly grabbed a customer and threatened to take her with him from the bank. The teller complied with Martinez's demands and handed him cash before Martinez fled the bank.

Martinez was arrested in June 2022 and has remained in law enforcement custody since then. He committed the robbery while on court-supervised release following a prior bank robbery conviction.

The conviction was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by the Round Lake Beach, Illinois Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

The government has been represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jimmy Arce, Adam L. Rosenbloom, and Caitlin S. Walgamuth. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger set sentencing for August 29, 2025.

Martinez faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the bank robbery conviction. The case is a grim reminder of the dangers of violence in our communities and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

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