CHICAGO — A relentless criminal, Charles Lawler, 54, of Villa Park, Ill., has been handed down a severe seven-year-and-eight-month federal prison sentence for his brazen spree of bank robberies across the Chicago suburbs. In a series of daring heists, Lawler and an accomplice, Tarandle Lee, struck fear into the hearts of suburban residents by robbing four banks and a credit union.
Starting on September 22, 2021, Lawler’s spree included:
– Robbing BMO Harris Bank in Naperville, Ill., on Sept. 22, 2021;
– Pairing with Lee to rob Old Second Bank in Lisle, Ill., on Sept. 28, 2021;
– Stealing from Bank Financial in Westmont, Ill., alongside Lee on Oct. 6, 2021;
– Along with Lee, robbing BMO Harris Bank in Woodridge, Ill., on Jan. 3, 2022; and
– With Lee’s help, striking DuPage Credit Union in Downers Grove, Ill., on April 14, 2022.
After a year of evading law enforcement, Lawler was finally apprehended in 2023 and has remained in custody ever since. He pleaded guilty to the first three robberies and admitted his role in the last two. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman meted out his sentence.
Lee, 45, of Bolingbrook, Ill., was also arrested in 2023 and awaits sentencing after being convicted by a federal jury on all four robbery counts against him.
The investigation and prosecution were a collaborative effort between the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Andrew S. Boutros, and the FBI’s Chicago Field Office, led by Special Agent-in-Charge Douglas S. DePodesta. Local law enforcement from Downers Grove, Bellwood, Woodridge, and Villa Park Police Departments played crucial roles in the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alejandro G. Ortega and Jonathan L. Shih.
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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