Man Charged with Armed Robberies in Belleville and East St. Louis
Cases are Part of United States Attorney’s Initiative Against Armed Robberies

A federal grand jury sitting in East St. Louis has indicted Timothy R. Collier, 47, with two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, which is a violation of the Hobbs Act, and two counts of use of a firearm during a crime of violence, in connection with the armed robbery of East St. Louis Jewelry and Loan that occurred on April 25, 2013, and the armed robbery that occurred at Arena Liquor in Belleville on July 12, 2013, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois announced today.

The offenses in the indictment allege that on April 25, 2013, Collier took numerous items of jewelry and a firearm from the presence of the owner of East St. Louis Jewelry and Loan, by means of actual and threatened force, by brandishing and discharging a firearm and shooting the owner of East St. Louis Jewelry and Loan in the chest and head. The indictment also alleges that on July 12, 2013, Collier took United States Currency from the presence of an employee of Arena Liquor, by means of actual and threatened force, by brandishing a firearm.

If convicted of a violation of the Hobbs Act, Collier faces a term in prison of up to 20 years on each count, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. If convicted of the offense of use of a firearm during a crime of violence for the armed robbery of the East St. Louis Jewelry and Loan, Collier faces a minimum term in prison of 10 years up to a maximum term of Life, consecutive to, meaning in addition to, any term of imprisonment imposed on the Hobbs Act violations, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of up to five years. Additionally, if convicted of a second offense of use of a firearm during a crime of violence for the armed robbery of Arena Liquor, Collier faces a term in prison of 25 years up to a maximum term of life in prison, again, consecutive, that is, in addition to the term of imprisonment imposed on the counts of conviction.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant that is composed of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

This case is being investigated by the Illinois State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Belleville Police Department, and the East St. Louis Police Department as part of the Metro East Armed Robbery Initiative. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Ali Summers for prosecution.