Swansea bank robbery suspect demanded $3K. He got more than that
A Swansea man previously convicted of bank robbery is again facing a bank robbery charge alleging he robbed $3,200 from a Swansea credit union, according to federal court records.
Deondre E. Jones, 55, was arrested Friday by Swansea police officers within five minutes of a robbery reported at Arsenal Credit Union at 4384 N. Illinois St., according to information from the Swansea Police Department and a U.S. Attorney’s Office news release Thursday.
Jones allegedly told a teller he had a gun and asked her for $3,000, but ended up getting $3,200 in cash, according to charging documents.
When he was arrested, Jones had $3,200 in his pocket. He also “spontaneously” told police he robbed the bank and that he had robbed a Belleville bank in 2015, according to court records.
Federal court records show that in 2016, Jones was sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to robbing a Scott Credit Union on Carlyle Avenue in Belleville.
Documents filed with the court indicate that Jones told a teller that he had a gun and wanted 10 $100 bills. Although the teller counted out 10 such bills on the counter, Jones left with only eight. He used the money to buy cocaine and the services of a prostitute, according to prosecutors.
In the Swansea case, a judge on Wednesday ordered that Jones be detained “pending further information regarding bond eligibility.”
The federal public defender’s office was assigned to represent Jones. A representative from the office could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Charging documents allege Jones told the teller he wanted $3,000 in large denominations. The teller realized she only had $2,000 in $100 bills, so she gave Jones $1,200 in smaller denominations for a total of $3,200, according to court records.
An FBI agent said in court records that Jones told investigators he needed the money so he wouldn’t be homeless.
“Jones said he robbed the credit union because he was two months behind on both his rent and power bill, and that if he did not get the money, he would be living on the street,” according to court records.
The robbery was reported at 2:17 p.m. Friday, and Jones was arrested by Swansea officers about 2:22 p.m. while walking east toward 4200 Trade Court near the credit union, according to a criminal complaint.
“Thanks to a strong, coordinated response by law enforcement, this defendant’s attempt to rob the credit union ended almost as quickly as it began,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft in a statement.
