KALAMAZOO BANK ROBBER SENTENCED TO 15 ½ YEARS

FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2008 - GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Marvin Eugene Harris, Jr., 44, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced yesterday to 15 ½ years (188 months) in prison for robbing a Kalamazoo federally-insured bank and a federally-insured bank in Lemont, Illinois, U.S. Attorney Charles R. Gross announced today.

Harris pled guilty on December 27, 2007, to two counts of armed bank robbery: the August 4, 2005 armed robbery of the Lemont National Bank in Lemont, Illinois and the December 2, 2005 armed robbery of the Comerica Bank in Kalamazoo. As part of his plea agreement, Harris also admitted responsibility for three other armed bank robberies in the greater Chicago, Illinois area committed between June 2004 and June 2006.

On June 3, 2004, Harris entered the West Suburban Bank, a federally-insured institution in Romeoville, Illinois, and took an undisclosed amount of money from the tellers. Harris brandished a firearm during the commission of the robbery.

On January 7, 2005, Harris and an accomplice, Jermone Anthony Barnes, entered the Fifth Third Bank, a federally-insured institution in Shorewood, Illinois, and took an undisclosed amount of money from the tellers. Harris and Barnes brandished a firearm during the commission of the robbery. Another accomplice, Jarrod Reddix, also participated in the robbery as the driver of the getaway vehicle.

On August 4, 2005, Harris and his accomplice, Jermone Anthony Barnes, entered the Lemont National Bank, a federally-insured institution in Lemont, Illinois, and took an undisclosed amount of money from the tellers. Harris again brandished a firearm during the commission of this robbery. Another accomplice, Jennifer Hasek, also participated in the robbery by surveilling the bank prior to the robbery and driving Harris and Barnes from Indiana to Illinois for the robbery and back to Indiana following the robbery.

On December 2, 2005, Harris and his accomplice, Eddie Jerome Mills, entered the Comerica Bank, a federally-insured institution in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and took an undisclosed amount of money from the tellers. Harris once more brandished a firearm during the commission of this robbery.

On June 26, 2006, Harris and his accomplice, Jermone Anthony Barnes, entered the First National Bank, a federally-insured institution in Gurnee, Illinois, and took an undisclosed amount of money. Harris and Barnes brandished a firearm during the commission of the robbery. Another accomplice, Jennifer Hasek, also participated in the robbery by driving Harris and Barnes from Indiana to Illinois for the robbery and back to Indiana following the robbery.

Harris, Barnes and Hasek were arrested shortly after robbing another bank, a Chase Bank, in Merrillville, Indiana on June 29, 2006. All three were charged federally in the Northern District of Indiana on bank robbery and related charges. Hasek pled guilty to armed bank robbery and was sentenced to 37 months in prison in the Northern District of Indiana. Barnes pled guilty to two counts of armed bank robbery and a weapons count and was sentenced to 121 months in prison also in Indiana. Harris pled guilty to armed bank robbery and weapons charges and was sentenced to 204 months in prison in the Northern District of Indiana.

In addition to 15 ½ years (188 months) in prison, to be served consecutive to the 204-month term of imprisonment imposed in the Indiana case, U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney ordered Harris to serve five years of supervised release and to pay restitution in the amount of $233,791.32 and $200 in special assessments.

U.S. Attorney Gross commended the FBI, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department and the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety for their work in the case. This case was prosecuted on behalf of the United States of America by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa Castrolugo.