Federal and International

FBI: Getaway Driver Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of Belleville Liquor Store


Springfield, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Charmonequette Reynolds, 22, plead guilty in United States District Court to a three-count indictment charging her with Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery, Interference with Commerce by Robbery, and Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced. The Armed Robbery counts arise from the federal Hobbs Act, which makes it a crime to obstruct, delay or affect interstate commerce by robbery, and is used by United States Attorney Wigginton as a way to combat armed robbery in the Southern District of Illinois.

Documents filed in Court establish that on July 12, 2013 Reynolds drove her two co-defendants, Timothy Collier and Roderick Taylor, to Arena Liquor located at 105 S. Belt E, Belleville, Illinois, to commit a robbery. While Reynolds waited in her vehicle, Collier and Taylor entered Arena Liquor, each armed with a firearm. Collier and Taylor pointed the two firearms at an employee of Arena Liquor and another individual in the store and demanded all of the money from the cash registers as well as personal belongings from the two individuals. Collier and Taylor left the liquor store with approximately $15,000 of United States Currency, entered Reynolds’ vehicle, and the three fled from the scene. Reynolds was identified and apprehended a short time after the robbery and interviewed by law enforcement. During the interview, Reynolds admitted to her involvement in the planning and participation in the armed robbery.

Reynolds faces a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years on the Hobbs Act violations. On the count of Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, Reynolds faces a term of imprisonment of not less than 7 years up to a maximum term of Life, consecutive to, meaning in addition to, any term of imprisonment imposed on the Hobbs Act violations. Sentencing is scheduled for October 17, 2014, in East St. Louis, Illinois.

This case was investigated by the Belleville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ali Summers.


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