Urbana, IL - Six Kankakee, Illinois men have been charged with the armed robbery of the Community Plus Federal Credit Union in Rantoul, as announced today by Rodger A. Heaton, United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois. Those charged include: Brad Oneil Williams, age 27; Ahshun T. Collins, 26; Clinton Williams, 23; Rory Tucker, 20; Tyron Thomas, age 20; and, Bobby Leandre Riley, 19, all of Kankakee, Illinois. All six defendants are charged with armed bank robbery and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

The affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint alleges the six men participated in the April 24, 2006, armed robbery of the Community Plus Federal Credit Union, located at 526 East Champaign Avenue, in Rantoul, Illinois. As alleged in the affidavit, the six men drove from Kankakee to Rantoul, Illinois in two separate vehicles, entered the credit union at approximately 4:00 p.m., and took $3,600 in U.S. Currency.

According to the affidavit, as officers with the Rantoul Police Department responded to the scene, they observed at least three subjects exit the credit union and flee on foot. Ahshun Collins and Brad Williams were apprehended by Rantoul police officers. The third subject, identified as Tyron Thomas, allegedly fled west from the credit union to a nearby car wash where he allegedly entered a car and forced the car’s owner to drive him to another location in Rantoul. Thomas then allegedly fled the area on foot.

The affidavit alleges two of the defendants were observed in a maroon car parked in the alley next to the credit union; Riley was observed attempting to flee the scene in the car but was stopped by police and arrested. Tucker was then found hiding in the back seat. Rantoul officers allegedly observed and apprehended Clinton Williams in the driver’s seat of a two-tone, brown car parked in the alley next to the maroon car.

The search for Thomas remains ongoing. Anyone with information concerning Thomas’ whereabouts should contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives or the Kankakee Police Department.

Preliminary hearings were held this afternoon in federal court in Urbana, Illinois, for the five defendants in custody. U.S. Magistrate Judge David G. Bernthal determined probable cause and referred the matter to the grand jury.

During the court appearance, defendant Brad Williams waived a detention hearing and was ordered detained pending trial. Ahshun Collins was also detained pending trial. Judge Bernthal scheduled detention hearings for the remaining defendants on Thursday, April 27, 2006: Tucker at 1:30 p.m.; Clinton Williams at 3:00 p.m.; and, Riley at 3:30 p.m.

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 25 years imprisonment for armed bank robbery and a mandatory consecutive minimum seven years in prison for carrying a firearm during a crime of violence.

Members of the public are reminded that a complaint is merely an accusation; the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The arrests and investigation of the Community Plus Federal Credit Union was conducted by the Rantoul, Illinois Police Department with assistance by the Champaign County Sheriff’s Department and the Illinois State Police. Also assisting in this ongoing investigation are the Kankakee Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Bass of the Urbana division of the U.S. Attorney’s office.

U.S. Attorney Heaton commended the officers of the Rantoul Police Department for their immediate and thorough response which led to the timely apprehension of five of the six suspects.

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