Woman who robbed local banks gets 70 months in prison
From Illinois Business Journal news services
EAST ST. LOUIS – Annalise McGhee, 28, of St. Louis, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 70 months in prison on one count of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and two counts of bank robbery.
The sentence was in connection with the robbery of Laclede Community Credit Union in Alton on Feb. 11, 2013, and the robbery of People’s Bank and Trust in Altamont, on Feb. 26, 2013.
Following her prison sentence, McGhee will be on federal supervised release for three years. McGhee was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $5,684. She has been in custody since Feb. 26, 2013.
Documents filed in U.S. District Court say that on Feb. 11, 2013, McGhee drove her male co-defendant, Altonio Graves, to the Laclede Community Credit Union in Alton to commit a robbery. Graves entered the credit union wearing a long black women’s wig, a black hat and a black trench coat to disguise his appearance. Graves told the teller he had a gun, handed her a plastic grocery bag and a note demanding money. The teller placed $5,684 in the bag and Graves left the credit union with the money. Graves then entered the getaway vehicle being driven by McGhee and the two fled the area and escaped capture.
Fifteen days later, McGhee drove Graves to the People’s Bank and Trust in Altamont. Graves entered, again wearing a long black women’s wig, a dark trench coat and a black hat with earflaps to disguise his appearance. Graves handed the teller a plastic grocery bag and a note that stated: “This is a robbery, I have a gun and I will use it.”
The teller placed $7,390 in the bag and Graves left the bank with the money.
Graves then entered the getaway vehicle being driven by McGhee and the two fled the area. Illinois State Police officers located the suspect vehicle on the interstate and attempted a traffic stop.
McGhee refused to stop the vehicle and fled from the officers at speeds in excess of 120 mph until she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a ditch. During a search of Graves and the vehicle, officers located the $7,390 in United States currency taken from the bank. Also during the search of the vehicle, officers recovered a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol behind the
glove box.
Altonio Graves, 39, of St. Louis, has also pleaded guilty and was sentenced on April 17, 2015, to 10 years in prison for the two bank robberies.
The case was investigated by the Alton Police Department, Altamont Police Department, the Illinois State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Summers.
