Friday, December 21, 2012

Banks, A Convicted Bank Robber Escapee Arrested By Chicago's FBI

Joseph "Jose" Banks and Kenneth Conley

Banks was taken into custody on Thursday night in Chicago without incident, the FBI reported.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 21, 2012

Chicago, Illinois - The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Chicago confirmed that Joseph "Jose" Banks, 37, had been taken into custody by the FBI's Violent Crime Task Force composed of agents and Chicago Police on Thursday around 11:30 p.m. without incident. Banks who escaped with Kenneth Conley, 38, from the Chicago federal Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) on Tuesday was not armed when he was arrested. No further details of Banks arrest were provided by the FBI. Conley remains at large, according to the FBI.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Marshals Service and FBI in a combined effort had offered a reward of $60K for information leading to the arrest of Banks and Conley, two convicted bank robbers who escaped from the MCC in Chicago. The U.S. Marshals Service offered $10K and the FBI offered $50K for both Conley and Banks who were convicted for separate bank robberies and were considered armed and dangerous. 
Banks was convicted for stealing $589,000 and was awaiting sentencing scheduled for March 26. Only $56,000 was ever recovered from Banks robbery and authorities believe he had access to half a million dollars. Conley stole $4,000 and was supposed to be sentence on January 10.
Banks and Conley managed to fool the correction facility guards by placing dummies made up of a sheet filled with clothing and created a make shift rope with sheets to climbed down a 15 story high-rise. They were able to sawed off bars from a window, broke it and then squeezed through a 6 foot high by 6 inches wide window to escape on early Tuesday.
It's the second time in twenty years, a federal inmate has escaped from the MCC facility.
The fugitives later ended up at Conley's mother home, but were turned away. The mother managed to retrieved a gun from Conley, according to feds.

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