Woodstock man pleads guilty in series of bank robberies
A 47-year-old Woodstock man has admitted to robbing three banks and a payday loan shop in a variety of towns throughout northern Illinois last year.
Shawn M. Rank pleaded guilty today to charges stemming from the four separate robberies.
As part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, Rank admitted he robbed the Heartland Bank and Trust Company branch in Genoa of $1,250 at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 15, 2016, after displaying a gun and demanding the teller fill up a blue zippered bag with money.
Rank also admitted he robbed a payday loan store in Belvidere on April 1, 2016, by walking up to a clerk inside and telling the employee he was robbing the store. The employee placed $1,232 in a bag and Rank fled.
Rank robbed $2,700 from the Harvard Savings Bank on May 6, 2016, after placing a zippered bag on the counter, displaying a gun and demanding the teller give him money, he admitted in the plea agreement.
Rank's final robbery took place June 13, 2016, at the Alpine Bank in Belvidere, again using a blue zippered bag. Rank demanded money from the teller inside and was given $1,790, according to court papers.
Rank faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. His sentencing is slated for June 29.