Guilty Plea in Two Year Old Rochester Bank Robbery Case
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Chicago man has entered a guilty plea to a charge of simple robbery for a bank robbery in Rochester two years ago.
Court records indicate 33-year-old Jacari Peters entered into a plea agreement with Olmsted County prosecutors for robbing the Sterling State Bank near the South Walmart store on September 10, 2021. The prosecution of this case was delayed because he was ruled incompetent to stand trial and was civilly committed due to mental illness last year, but he underwent another evaluation earlier this year and was found competent to face prosecution in March of this year.
According to the criminal complaint, Peters entered the bank wearing a surgical mask and threw a white grocery-style bag on the counter before demanding a female employee to "give me your money." He did not use a weapon in the robbery, although the bank teller told police he "had his right hand in his front jacket pocket when he walked in."
The court document indicates Peters fled from the bank with just under $1600 in cash, which included some documented "bait money" that was placed in the bag by the bank employee.
A short time later, an attempted bank robbery was reported in Pine Island and the description of the robber matched the description of the man involved in the Rochester robbery. He was apprehended shortly after that and the court record say a search of his car turned up the stolen money.
Peters is scheduled to be sentenced on November 27. Under the terms of the plea deal, the prosecution will request a prison sentence of 29 months, which is at the bottom of the range recommended by state sentencing guidelines. The attorney representing Peters will argue for a downward departure from the guidelines.
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