(St. Paul, Mn.)– A federal charge of bank robbery was filed Friday against 26-year-old Jose Angel Almendares of rural Round Lake in connection with Tuesday’s armed robbery of United Prairie Bank in Round Lake.
Almendares was charged in U-S District Court in St. Paul and was ordered held without bond.
Shortly before 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, a man wearing a black stocking cap over his face, a grey sweatshirt, blue jeans and knee-length shorts entered the bank with a handgun and demanded money from a loan officer. He got away with 7,852-dollars, including 12 marked 20 dollar bills.
Based on witnesses descriptions, authorities had reason to believe Almendares was involved. A search warrant was executed on Almendares’ residence in rural Jackson county early Wednesday. Authorities found 6,282-dollars in cash, white plastic bags matching the description of one used in the robbery, and clothing matching the description of what the suspect was wearing during the robbery.
A criminal complaint filed in U-S District Court identifies a motive for the robbery. It says Almendares was having his car repaired in Lake Park. The day after the robbery, Almendares and one of his brothers went to the repair shop and paid almost 1,600-dollars in cash to pick up the car. The complaint states that 11 of the 12 marked 20-dollar bills were used in making the payment.
Almendares’ four brothers remain in custody in Nobles county. They’re being held on suspicion of first-degree aggravated robbery and for being in the country illegally. The Nobles County Attorney’s Office says they could face formal charges pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation.
