Fifth Defendant To Be Arraigned for Allegedly Conspiring To Rob ATMs in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa

CHICAGO — A fifth defendant will be arraigned today in Chicago on federal charges of conspiring with four others to rob automated teller machines in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa.

The robbers often used chains connecting the ATMs to stolen pickup trucks to break into the machines and steal cash, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  After the heists, the robbers abandoned the trucks and fled in another vehicle, the indictment states.  One of the pickup trucks was stolen from an auto dealership in Portage, Ind., and some of the chains and other materials used in the robberies were obtained from a hardware store in Burbank, Ill., according to the indictment.

The indictment identifies eight ATMs allegedly robbed as part of the conspiracy:

• March 12, 2022: First Source Bank ATM in Portage, Ind.
• March 23, 2022: Inland Bank ATM in Countryside, Ill.
• March 25, 2022: Parkway Bank ATM in Glen Ellyn, Ill.
• March 30, 2022: Grundy National Bank ATM in Conrad, Iowa.
• April 1, 2022: First State Bank ATM in Lynnville, Iowa.
• April 1, 2022: First Central State Bank ATM in LeClaire, Iowa.
• April 2, 2022: Solon State Bank ATM in Tiffin, Iowa.
• April 3, 2022: Resource Bank ATM in Hinckley, Iowa.

Charged with conspiracy to commit robbery are DANNY ROLAND, 27, of Missouri City, Texas, BRYCE JONES, 26, of Webster, Texas, CHANDLER WILLIAMS, 27, of Missouri City, Texas, DAQUAN BENS, 29, of Houston, Texas, and TRISTIAN MILLER, 27, of Stafford, Texas.

Miller was arrested last month in Houston, Texas.  He is scheduled to be arraigned today at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sunil R. Harjani in Chicago.  The four other defendants have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.

The charges were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Douglas A. Williams, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Houston Field Office of the FBI.  Substantial assistance in this investigation has been provided by the Countryside, Ill. Police Department, DuPage County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office, DeKalb County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office, Portage, Ind. Police Department, LeClaire, Iowa Police Department, Bettendorf, Iowa Police Department, Johnson County, Iowa Sheriff’s Office, Grundy County, Iowa Sheriff’s Office, Jasper County, Iowa Sheriff’s Office, and the Houston, Texas Police Department.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan DeMarco.

The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.