Rockford Man Charged with Armed Robbery of BMO Harris Bank

ROCKFORD—A Rockford man was indicted yesterday on a federal bank robbery charge for the armed robbery of BMO Harris Bank on Rural Avenue in Rockford, Illinois, on August 16, 2012. The defendant, Michael O. Fryer, Jr., 29, of Rockford, is currently in state custody pending state charges. The federal case was charged in cooperation with the Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office. If convicted, the federal bank robbery charge carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 25 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, up to five years of supervised release following imprisonment, and full restitution. The actual sentence will be detained by the United States District Court, guided by the United States Sentencing Guidelines.

The indictment was announced by Gary S. Shapiro, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert D. Grant, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Chet Epperson, Chief of the Rockford Police Department.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica V. Mallory.

The public is reminded that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.