Federal Jury in Chicago convicts man of robbing bank in Lake County, Ill.

Francisco Martinez entered a First Midwest Bank branch in Round Lake, Ill., on Dec. 20, 2021, and handed the teller a folded piece of paper that read, “40k, 30 seconds, no tricks, go now.”

Martinez then raised his shirt, showing what appeared to be the handle of a firearm tucked into his waistband.

Martinez briefly grabbed a customer and threatened to take her with him from the bank.

The teller complied with Martinez’s demands and handed him cash before Martinez fled the bank.

Francisco Martinez displaying handgun while robbing the bank. Francisco Martinez entered a First Midwest Bank branch in Round Lake, Ill., on Dec. 20, 2021, and handed the teller a folded piece of paper that read, “40k, 30 seconds, no tricks, go now.”

Martinez, 32, of Des Plaines, Ill., was arrested in June 2022 and has remained in law enforcement custody since then. Martinez committed the robbery while on court-supervised release following a prior bank robbery conviction.

On Monday, the jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago convicted him of one count of bank robbery, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger set sentencing for Aug. 29, 2025.

The conviction was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.

Substantial assistance was provided by the Round Lake Beach, Ill. Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The government has been represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jimmy Arce, Adam L. Rosenbloom, and Caitlin S. Walgamuth.

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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