A Chicago man who used a nightstick and a fire extinguisher to rob a suburban bank has been sentenced to more than 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to the crime, according to court records.
Emeril England robbed the Huntington Bank at 1220 Meadow Road in Northbrook on May 28, 2025, while wearing a disguise he ordered online to conceal his identity. According to prosecutors, he chose that particular branch because he was familiar with its layout and had explored a hidden spot to park his car unnoticed. Unfortunately for England, his remote parking job caught the attention of a Metra employee who later tipped off investigators, leading to his arrest.
Prosecutors said England raided the bank and sprayed tellers with batons in an attempt to force them out of their cash drawers, but that this was an ineffective tactic. One clerk, believing he might be experiencing a mental health crisis, asked him, “Dude, are you okay?”
Not getting the response he wanted, England grabbed the fire extinguisher from the bank and fired it at the tellers, officials said. As smoke filled the lobby, tellers fled their desks, with one of them leaving a drawer open, court records show. England is said to have taken about $4,915 from that drawer before walking away from the bank.
After the robbery, a Metra employee saw a man walking near some bushes and getting into a car in a secluded area. They later shared that information with the police. Investigators then used license plate reader data to track the vehicle’s movements and eventually located England at his apartment in the 2600 block of West Touhy in Chicago, officials said.
When FBI agents and Northbrook police arrived at the apartment, England reportedly admitted to the robbery and told them the evidence they were looking for was in his bedroom. Investigators said they found a pellet gun, a dreadlock wig, a hard hat, pepper spray, gloves and a large amount of cash in a bag under the bed. England reportedly told investigators that he left the pellet gun at home the day of the robbery because he thought some people were not intimidated by firearms.
In seeking a 151-month prison sentence for England, federal prosecutors said he has a “documented history of mental health problems” and “some cognitive impairment” but argued he is still capable of planning and carrying out violent crimes. Up until that point, they claimed that while England was in custody for the Northbrook robbery, he was making notes about future bank robberies.
U.S. District Judge John Kness sentenced England to 151 months, the lowest level of federal sentencing guidelines, as recommended by prosecutors.
