Randy G. Massey, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that MONTEZ LAMAR FULLER, age 24, of Granite City, Illinois, was convicted today following a jury trial in United States District Court in East St. Louis, Illinois. FULLER was convicted of two counts of aggravated robbery of a credit union and two counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The jury also found that a 1995 GMC Yukon be forfeited by the defendant to the United States.

Three co-defendants have previously entered pleas of guilty to related charges. A fourth codefendant is awaiting trial.

The convictions arose from a robbery at the Granite City Steel Credit Union in Granite City on June 5, 2006, and another at the Olin Community Credit Union in Alton on June 16, 2006. In excess of $60,000 was stolen in the two robberies.

Each count of aggravated robbery of a credit union carries a possible maximum sentence of twenty-five (25) years imprisonment; each count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence carries a minimum sentence of five (5) years in prison, to be served consecutively to any sentence imposed on the crime of violence. In addition all four counts carry a fine of not more than $250,000, and up to five years supervised release following release from incarceration.

Investigation in support of the prosecution was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Alton Police Department, the Granite City Police Department, and the East St. Louis Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Deirdre Durborow prosecuted the case.