Geneseo Man Pleads Guilty to String of Bank Robberies in Iowa and Illinois

DAVENPORT, IA—On March 10, 2020, Christopher Lee Schultz, age 41, of Geneseo, Illinois, pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa for five bank robberies in Iowa and Illinois, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum.

Schultz’s guilty plea related to the January 18, 2019, robbery of the American Bank and Trust at 2340 41st Street, Moline, Illinois; the February 16, 2019, robbery of the DuTrac Community Credit Union at 3100 West Kimberly Road, Davenport, Iowa; the March 8, 2019, robbery of the Chase Bank at 151 19th Avenue, Moline, Illinois; the March 23, 2019, robbery of the IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union at 2839 AAA Court, Bettendorf, Iowa; and the April 18, 2019, robbery of the US Bank at 3120 Middle Road, Bettendorf, Iowa.

Schultz acknowledged wearing a mask and displaying what appeared to be a handgun during each of the robberies. Schultz further admitted taking over $26,000 during the course of the five robberies.

On March 5, 2020, Benjamin David Watkins pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting Schultz in the robbery of US Bank on April 18, 2019.

Both Schultz and Watkins are scheduled to be sentenced in Davenport on July 9, 2020.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Davenport Police Department, Bettendorf Police Department, Moline Police Department, Rock Island Police Department, and Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa and Central District of Illinois.