Reward Offer Increased for South Suburban Bank Robber

Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is asking for the public’s help in locating a Richton Park man wanted for the December 22, 2009 armed take-over robbery of the First Midwest Bank, located in Country Club Hills, Illinois. In making this appeal, Mr. Grant announced that a reward of up to $20,000 was now being offered for information leading to his arrest.

COREY FRIERSON, age 25, of 5131 Riverside Drive in the south suburb, has been the subject of a nationwide manhunt, coordinated by the Chicago FBI since February of this year, when he was charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one count of bank robbery.

According to the complaint, FRIERSON was one of three men who committed the robbery, with FRIERSON identified as the leader of the group. FRIERSON is alleged to have planned the theft and supplied the two Uzi-style assault weapons that were used during the robbery. The other two accomplices have since been identified and arrested, and are both in custody.

Recent investigation by the FBI tracked FRIERSON to Lexington, Mississippi, where he is known to have family and friends. In April, FRIERSON was stopped by a local police officer for a traffic offense. However, during a routine check of his driver’s license, FRIERSON fled his vehicle and disappeared into the nearby woods. At the time, FRIERSON was in possession of a counterfeit Ohio driver’s license under the name of Christopher Redmond. While in Mississippi, FRIERSON is also believed to have made threats to kill police officers.

FRIERSON is described as a black/male, 25 years of age, 6’0” tall, and 200 pounds. He is light-skinned with freckles. FRIERSON has previously worn his hair in dreadlocks, but has since been seen with a shaved head. Given the nature of the charges filed against him and in light of the recent threats to harm police officers, FRIERSON should be considered armed and dangerous.

The search for FRIERSON is being coordinated by the Chicago FBI and Country Club Hills Police Department (CHPD). Anyone recognizing FRIERSON or having any information regarding his current whereabouts is asked to call the Chicago FBI at (312) 421-6700 or the CHPD at (708) 798-3191.

Additional information about this case and other unsolved Chicago area bank robberies, including downloadable photographs, is available online at the Bandit Tracker website, www.bandittrackerchicago.com.

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Additional copies of the below wanted flyer or the criminal complaint filed in this case are available from the Chicago FBI’s press office at (312) 829-1199.