Illinois Man Sentenced to 382 Months for Armed Bank Robbery

Madison, Wisconsin—Erik C. Peterson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Matthew Evans, 36, Rockford, Ill., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Madison for his participation in the armed bank robbery of the Mid America Bank in Footville, Wis., on November 9, 2007. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Crabb sentenced Evans to 382 months in prison. She also ordered him to pay $950 in restitution to the bank, which represented the stolen proceeds that were never recovered by the police.

On March 19, 2008, after a three-day trial, a jury found Evans guilty of armed bank robbery, conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, and possessing firearms during a crime of violence. The evidence at trial showed that Evans robbed the bank along with co-defendants Troy Thomas, Donald Thompson, Curtis Seaberry, and Skye Archambault.

Evans and his co-defendants drove from Rockford to Footville the morning of the bank robbery in Thomas' Mercury Grand Marquis. They first cased the bank, then drove to Beloit where Thomas stole a Lexus to use during the bank robbery. Archambault took the Mercury and parked it at a rendevous point just a mile from the bank.

Evans, along with Thomas, Thompson and Seaberry, entered the bank brandishing three weapons and wearing masks. After robbing the bank, the four robbers fled in the Lexus. The robbers went to the rendevous point with Archambault where they transferred the guns, masks, gloves and robbery proceeds into the Mercury. They left the Lexus abandoned on the side of the road. A truck driver witnessed the vehicle switch and had his dispatcher call 911 to report this suspicious activity.

As Archambault began driving back to Rockford, a Rock County Sheriff's Deputy ordered the Mercury to pull over near the state line on Highway 81 outside of Beloit. Seaberry and Evans got out of the Mercury and fled on foot. Seaberry was found nearby, but Evans got away.

Thomas, Archambault and Thompson stayed in the Mercury and took off in the opposite direction. The deputy stayed in pursuit with speeds reaching in excess of 100 miles per hour. Thomas, who was now driving the Mercury, failed to stop at two stop signs and drove into the oncoming lane of traffic in an attempt to evade pursuit by the deputy. As they neared Rockford, the Mercury ran out of gas. All three suspects were taken into custody at that time.

Authorities arrested Evans four days later. During his escape, Evans had dropped a bandana in a backyard near Highway 81. It was later recovered by law enforcement. A DNA analyst from the Wisconsin State Crime Lab tested the DNA found on the bandana and testified at trial that it matched Evans' DNA. The analyst testified that the statistical probability that it was someone else's DNA was 1 in 41 trillion.

Thomas, Thompson, Seaberry and Archambault all pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery and possessing firearms during a crime of violence. All four testified against Evans at trial. Among other things, they all testified that Evans tried to get them to lie and say he was not involved in the bank robbery. Evans testified in his own defense. He unsuccessfully claimed that he had not participated in the bank robbery, but rather had waited in the Lexus while Thomas, Thompson and Seaberry robbed the bank.

In imposing sentence on Evans today, Judge Crabb told Evans he was "an amoral person," who was "impervious to the feelings of other people," and as a result "a very dangerous person." Judge Crabb noted that it is "horrifying to hear this, but not all that surprising given your difficult childhood."

The charges against these bank robbery defendants were the result of an investigation conducted by the Rock County Sheriff's Department, Orfordville Police Department, Beloit Police Department, Winnebago County Sheriff's Office, Rockford Police Department, and the Rockford and Madison offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Graber.

 

Press Releases | Milwaukee Home