Man pleads guilty to 2024 DeKalb bank robbery, gets 18 years

A man who had planned to represent himself at trial this month pleaded guilty instead to robbing a DeKalb bank last summer.

Circuit Court Judge Philip Montgomery, in exchange, sentenced Matthew L. Martin, 44, of Chicago, to 18 years in prison, DeKalb County court records show. The plea was agreed upon in advance of the sentencing by prosecutors and Martin, records show.

Martin pleaded guilty on Aug. 8 to armed robbery in connection with an 8:21 a.m. robbery on July 31, 2024, at Illinois Community Credit Union, 1500 Barber Greene Road, DeKalb. Police said surveillance video showed Martin wore a mask and other camouflage-style clothing, entered the bank and robbed it at gunpoint, stealing more than $50,000 in cash. Police said he threatened bank employees.

He was not arrested until Sept. 27, 2024, after a multi-agency search that involved DeKalb and Chicago police, the FBI, and private businesses, according to the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office.

“This plea agreement was the result of excellent work by law enforcement and our prosecutors,” State’s Attorney Riley Oncken said in a news release. “Assistant State’s Attorneys Dan Regna and Brooks Locke spent countless hours working with local and federal law enforcement to prepare the case for the expected trial on August 18. Faced with the strength of the evidence and the experienced prosecutors handling the case, Martin took the deal that he had previously refused months ago. Our law enforcement partners were pleased with the result and justice was served. This plea ensures that Mr. Martin will not further bog down the legal systems with appeals and post-sentence proceedings.”

Martin spent months leading up to his trial denying any wrongdoing or his role in the robbery, though police said they found clothing matching the masked robber inside Martin’s Chicago home. Martin argued police wrongfully arrested him without sufficient evidence to connect him to the armed robbery.

A jury trial was initially expected to convene for Martin’s case on April 7, but was pushed to August. If he had been convicted at trial of a Class X felony, he faced up to 30 years in prison.

Police said Martin’s cellphone also was used before and after the robbery.

Lead prosecutor Daniel Regna previously argued that Martin was “gaming the system” by telling the judge prosecutors hadn’t given him enough time to review evidence against him before a trial. Martin’s trial was postponed the morning jury selection was set to begin on April 7.

“I’m not trying to game the system,” Martin said on April 7. “I want to be prepared.”

Martin must serve at least 50% of his sentence for the Class X felony, according to court records. He will receive credit for the 316 days he spent in DeKalb County jail since his arrest, according to the state’s attorney’s office.