Chicago Man Sentenced to 76 Years for Serial Bank Robberies; Judge Exceeds Prosecutors' Request
Joseph Donelson Jr., a 68-year-old Chicago man, has been sentenced to 76 years in federal prison for robbing or attempting to rob four downtown banks in 2023. The sentencing by U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger significantly exceeded the 20 years requested by prosecutors. Donelson committed these crimes while on supervised release for previous bank robbery convictions. During the 2023 spree, he jumped onto a teller counter, pointed a "gun-like object" at tellers, and struck one teller in the face. The incidents included robberies at Citibank branches on North Michigan Avenue and South Michigan Avenue, with one teller reporting significant trauma and a PTSD diagnosis after an encounter with Donelson. 
