Man gets 4-plus years for robbing Belleville bank; used money for cocaine, prostitute

An East St. Louis man who robbed a Belleville bank to pay for cocaine and a prostitute will serve four and a half years in prison.

Deondre Jones, 45, who had been convicted of bank robbery, was Tuesday sentenced to 56 months in federal prison, according to Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois James L. Porter.

Documents filed with the court indicate that Jones told a teller at Scott Credit Union in Belleville that he had a gun and wanted ten $10 bills. Although the teller counted out ten such bills, Jones left with only eight. He used the money to buy cocaine and the services of a prostitute, according to prosecutors.

Following release from prison, Jones will serve three years of supervised release. Jones was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment, and was ordered to pay $510.63 in restitution to Scott Credit Union.

Jones pleaded guilty to the charge on Feb. 11. He has been in custody since his arrest on Oct. 1, 2015.

The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and members of the Belleville Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen B. Clark.

This story was originally published June 8, 2016 at 12:05 PM with the headline "Man gets 4-plus years for robbing Belleville bank; used money for cocaine, prostitute."