U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
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U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation |
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| In Reply, Please Refer to Release No. |
219 South Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois 60604 |
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January 23, 2004 Two Arrested by FBI Task Force for Chicago Area Bank Robbery Spree Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Philip J. Cline, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and Michael F. Sheahan, Cook County Sheriff, announced today the arrest of ERIC VALENTINE, age 45, of 7930 South Hermitage in Chicago and BURTON J. NOAH, age 34, of 6622 South Morgan in Chicago. Both men were arrested yesterday afternoon, without incident, in the 6800 block of South Bishop in Chicago, by members of the Chicago FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF). VALENTINE was charged in a criminal complaint filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Chicago with the January 16, 2004 robbery of a TCF Bank branch, located at 3128 West 103rd Street in Chicago. According to the complaint, VALENTINE approached a teller at the bank, which is located inside a Jewel Food Store, and handed her a note announcing a robbery and demanding money. VALENTINE implied that he was armed, although no weapon was displayed and no injuries were reported. After receiving in excess of $1,500, VALENTINE fled the bank in a waiting vehicle. Two Jewel employees, who were outside at the time, obtained a description of the vehicle, including the license plate number, which was traced to VALENTINE. Subsequent investigation by the VCTF has linked both VALENTINE and NOAH to as many as 13 robberies of Chicago area banks, dating to April of 2003. NOAH is expected to be charged in a criminal complaint filed later today, with the January 19th robbery of the TCF Bank branch, located at 5320 South Pulaski. VALENTINE is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Martin C. Ashman at 2:00 PM today, at which time he will be formally charged. NOAH's initial court appearance has yet to be scheduled. If convicted of the charge against him, VALENTINE faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years incarceration. The Chicago FBI's VCTF is comprised of FBI Special Agents, CPD Detectives and Investigators from the Cook County Sheriff's Police Department. The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. EDITOR's NOTE: A copy of the complaint filed against VALENTINE is available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 786-2645. |
