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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October 25, 2002 Suspect Arrested in Tech-9 Robberies Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Terry G. Hillard, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and Michael J. Sheahan, Cook County Sheriff, announced today the arrest of ODELL WRIGHT, age 27, of 1540 North Laramie in Chicago. WRIGHT was arrested yesterday afternoon outside the above residence by FBI Special Agents, CPD and Cook County Sheriff's Police Detectives assigned to the FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF), following a brief foot chase. WRIGHT was charged in a criminal complaint filed earlier today in U.S. District Court in Chicago with the October 24th robbery of a U.S. Bank branch, located at 104 North Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park. According to the complaint, WRIGHT entered the U.S. Bank branch at approximately 2:00 PM and approached a teller armed with a weapon believed to be an Intertec 9mm semi- automatic machine pistol. WRIGHT demanded money from the teller and threatened her with harm if his demands were not met. Prior investigation by the VCTF had identified WRIGHT as a suspect in the Tech - 9 robberies and a physical surveillance of his residence was being conducted at the time of this robbery. The investigating agents/detectives were notified of the robbery and observed WRIGHT enter the residence a short time later, wearing clothes similar to those worn during the robbery. When WRIGHT left the residence, he was confronted by VCTF members. He attempted to flee on foot, but was apprehended after a short chase. In addition to yesterdays theft, the complaint lists WRIGHT as a suspect in as many as five other bank robberies dating to September 13th of this year, including the Fifth-Third Bank at 2500 South Cicero Avenue in Cicero on September 13th; the Bank One branch at 3240 West Roosevelt Road in Chicago on September 18th; the Fifth-Third Bank branch at 7112 West Cermak Road in Berwyn on September 27th and the TCF Bank branch located at 3400 North Western Avenue in Chicago on October 21st. WRIGHT appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Geraldine Soat Brown in Chicago this morning and was ordered held without bond pending his next scheduled court appearance. Investigation by the VCTF into this matter is continuing. No shots were fired and no injuries reported during any of the above robberies. 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 criminal complaint filed in this case is available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 786-2645. |
