The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed Tuesday a 160-month prison sentence for Reiquon Gaines, who pleaded guilty to bank robbery after stealing approximately $7,900 from a Wilmette, Illinois bank in 2020. The three-judge panel unanimously rejected Gaines's multiple challenges to his sentencing determination following a three-day hearing in federal district court.
In *United States v. Reiquon Gaines* (7th Cir. 2026), Circuit Judge Kenneth Ripple wrote for the court, which included Judges David Scudder and Jonathan Kirsch. The opinion was issued Jan. 21, 2026, following oral arguments held Dec. 11, 2025.
Gaines committed the bank robbery on Jan. 15, 2020, when he jumped over the teller counter at a Wilmette bank and demanded money from the teller. After the teller unlocked the cash drawers, Gaines removed approximately $7,900 in cash and fled the scene. He used the stolen money later that day to purchase a 2005 Honda Accord.
The case took a dramatic turn three days later when police approached Gaines as he sat in the driver's seat of the Honda with his three-year-old daughter. When officers ran his license through their patrol car system, they discovered an outstanding warrant for the bank robbery. As the officers walked back to Gaines's vehicle, he fled, initiating a dangerous high-speed chase.
During the pursuit, police measured Gaines's speed at 61 miles per hour in a 30-mile-per-hour zone and observed him fail to stop at a stop sign. The chase ended when Gaines lost control of the vehicle while approaching a curve, sliding off the road into a snowbank. Police noted that Gaines nearly hit a tree during the crash.
Gaines pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a), a federal statute that criminalizes bank robbery and carries severe penalties. The case was prosecuted in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, where Judge Steven C. Seeger presided.
Following Gaines's guilty plea, the district court conducted a three-day sentencing hearing to determine the appropriate punishment. During this proceeding, the court considered various factors including the nature of the crime, Gaines's criminal history, the danger posed to the public during his flight from police, and the potential impact on his young daughter who was present during the chase.
After the extensive hearing, Judge Seeger sentenced Gaines to 160 months in federal prison. This sentence reflects the serious nature of bank robbery as a federal crime, particularly when combined with the reckless endangerment that occurred during Gaines's flight from law enforcement.
Gaines appealed the sentence to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, raising several challenges to the district court's sentencing determination. The appeals court's opinion notes that Gaines presented multiple arguments challenging various aspects of his sentence, though the specific nature of these challenges is not detailed in the available portion of the court's decision.
The Seventh Circuit's affirmance of the 160-month sentence demonstrates the court's agreement with the district court's analysis of the sentencing factors. Federal sentencing in bank robbery cases typically involves consideration of the federal sentencing guidelines, which provide recommended sentence ranges based on factors such as the amount stolen, the use of weapons or violence, and the defendant's criminal history.
Bank robbery is prosecuted as a federal crime because banks are federally insured institutions, bringing such cases under federal jurisdiction. The federal statute under which Gaines was convicted, 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a), provides for penalties of up to 20 years in prison for bank robbery, making Gaines's 160-month sentence well within the statutory maximum.
The case highlights the serious consequences of bank robbery and the additional legal jeopardy that defendants face when they flee from law enforcement, particularly when children are endangered in the process. The three-day sentencing hearing suggests that the district court gave careful consideration to all relevant factors before imposing the lengthy prison term.
The Seventh Circuit's decision was case number 23-1551, appealing from district court case 1:20-cr-00038-1. The appellate court's unanimous affirmance indicates strong agreement among the three-judge panel that the district court properly applied federal sentencing law and appropriately weighed the relevant factors.
This case represents another example of federal courts taking a firm stance on bank robbery prosecutions, particularly when defendants engage in dangerous behavior that puts innocent lives at risk. The 160-month sentence, equivalent to more than 13 years in federal prison, reflects both the seriousness of the underlying crime and the aggravating circumstances surrounding Gaines's arrest.