Dubuque man convicted in Maquoketa bank robbery

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Dubuque man was convicted Monday in federal court for robbing a Maquoketa bank in March.

Dante Rhodes, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery in U.S. District Court. He admitted during the plea hearing that he went into the Fidelity Bank, 18298 Highway 64, about 1:50 p.m. on March 8 and handed a bank teller a note demanding money.

Court documents show Rhodes then told the teller to place the money - $6,543 - in a garbage bag.

Bank employees told authorities the robber left in a silver SUV, driving north on U.S. 61, according to court documents. He was described to police as wearing a large white winter jacket and what appeared to be a wig with braids.

About 30 minutes after the bank robbery, police located a silver Buick SUV traveling north on Highway 61, near the Dubuque Regional Airport. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop but the driver, later identified as Rhodes, refused to stop and led officers on a high-speed chase.

Rhodes crashed the SUV into multiple vehicles and had a head-on crash with a police vehicle. He then got out of the vehicle and ran from officers but they deployed stun guns and arrested Rhodes, court documents show.

According to a search warrant affidavit, officers said a large amount of cash was 'blowing in the wind” after the collision and during a search of the SUV several bundles of money, totaling $3,215, and clothing that matched the description of what Rhodes was wearing were recovered.

Rhodes faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing hasn't been set at this time.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Morfitt said Gregory Stapleton, 31, of Dubuque, who also is charged in the bank robbery, intends to plead guilty to the charge but a plea hearing hasn't been set.

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