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Press Release

Rockford Man Sentenced To 113 Months In Federal Prison For The Robbery Of Rockford Area Banks And Credit Union

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois

ROCKFORD — A Rockford, Ill. man was sentenced today in federal court before U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala to 113 months in prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for robbing two Rockford area banks and a credit union. DELANIO BENFORD, 34, pled guilty on March 22, 2013, to the robbery of: Associated Bank, 3333 N. Rockton Ave., on June 22, 2010; PNC Bank, 6709 E. Riverside Blvd., on July 15, 2010; and Members Alliance Credit Union, 6951 Olde Creek Rd., on July 28, 2010 and Sept. 11, 2010. Benford was also ordered to pay restitution of $38,771 to the banks and credit union. Benford will not be eligible for parole.

Two other individuals have also pled guilty and been sentenced in related cases:

Prince Williams, 27, of Rockford, pled guilty on April, 19, 2012, to six counts of bank/credit union robbery and one count of armed bank robbery, all in Rockford, including: First Northern Credit Union, 2235 12th St., Rockford, on May 3, 2010; National City Bank (now PNC Bank), 1551 Sandy Hollow Rd., on June 10, 2010, while armed with a handgun; Associated Bank, 3333 N. Rockton Ave., on June 22, 2010; PNC Bank, 6709 E. Riverside Blvd., on July 15, 2010; Harris, N.A., 1275 Bennington Rd., on July 22, 2010; and Members Alliance Credit Union, 6951 Olde Creek Rd., on July 28, 2010, and on Sept. 11, 2010, while using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. Williams was sentenced by Judge Kapala on Dec. 4, 2013, to 128 months in federal prison without parole, 5 years of supervised release following imprisonment, and ordered to pay restitution of $56,644.35 to the banks and credit unions.

Michael Buck, 28, also of Rockford, pled guilty on Oct. 3, 2013, to the robbery of Members Alliance Credit Union on Sept. 11, 2013, and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard to 125 months in federal prison without parole, 3 years of supervised release following his release from prison, and ordered pay restitution of $12,180 to Members Alliance.

The sentencing today was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert J. Holley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Rockford Police Department and Rockton Police Department assisted in the investigation.

The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Pedersen.

Updated July 23, 2015