Edwardsville man charged in O'Fallon bank robbery

EAST ST. LOUIS - Marcus J. Thornton, 36, of Edwardsville, was charged on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, by complaint in United States District Court, in East St. Louis, with bank robbery.

Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced the charges on Wednesday. Thornton, who on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, made his first appearance in United States District Court, faces up to 20 years’ in prison, a fine of up to $250, 000, and not more than 3 years supervised release after his term of imprisonment, if convicted.

In court proceedings, and through charging documents, prosecutors alleged that at 1:11 p.m. on Feb. 9, 2017,  Thornton wearing a white construction dust mask, entered the U.S. Bank located at 400 South Lincoln Avenue O’Fallon, Illinois, brandished a silver and black semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from the bank tellers.

Bank tellers gave the U.S. currency to Thornton, who then allegedly put the U.S. currency into a white plastic bag. Before leaving the bank, Thornton inserted what appeared to be a telescopic magnet into the white plastic bag, presumably to detect a tracking device. Thornton was witnessed driving off in a dark blue Sport Utility Vehicle. Law enforcement officers later reviewed U.S. Bank surveillance video and were able to locate and arrest Thornton.

A complaint is a formal charge against a defendant that is comprised of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak for prosecution.