Rockford Man Convicted of Robbing Chase Bank in Rockford

ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was convicted today of aggravated bank robbery after a 3-day jury trial in federal court.

EDWARD EVERETT JOHNSON III, also known as “Edward Everett,” 34, was found guilty of robbing Chase Bank, 4425 Harrison Ave. in Rockford, on April 20, 2016.

Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and full restitution.  The Court must impose a reasonable sentence guided by the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.  Sentencing for Johnson is set for Sept. 9, 2019, at 11:30 a.m.

The conviction was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI; and Daniel O’Shea, Rockford Police Chief.  The Rockville City, Md., Police Department, Montgomery County, Md., Police Department, and Amtrak Police Department assisted in the investigation.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica V. Mallory and Scott R. Paccagnini.

According to the indictment and evidence at trial, Johnson arrived in the parking lot at Chase Bank mid-afternoon on April 20, 2019, driving a taxi mini-van.  At approximately 3:00 p.m., Johnson entered the bank and approached a bank teller, pulled out a handgun and a backpack and told the teller he wanted all the money in her money drawer.  After the teller emptied her drawer and placed the money in the backpack, Johnson left the bank, jumped through the sunroof of the taxi mini-van, and drove it out of the parking lot.  The mini-van was found abandoned in Rockford a few hours later. Later the same day Johnson left the Rockford area and was driven to Chicago by taxi. 

Evidence at trial indicated that Johnson was identified as the suspect, and an arrest warrant was issued.  Johnson then travelled by Amtrak train for Washington, D.C.  When the train stopped in Rockville, Md., Johnson exited the train.  Amtrak Police Department Officers tracked Johnson’s movements and identified him when he left the train station.  The officers attempted to stop Johnson when he fled on foot.  Johnson was apprehended shortly thereafter and placed into the custody of the Rockville City Police Dept.  The Rockville City Police Dept., assisted by a canine unit from the Montgomery County Police Dept., recovered evidence of the bank robbery at the scene of Johnson’s arrest.