Two Minnesota men were indicted April 8 on federal bank robbery charges. One is alleged to have held up TCF banks in both Blaine and Arden Hills and a Premier Bank in Blaine, while the other was shot after leading police on a high-speed chase after allegedly robbing a St. Anthony bank.
In the first indictment, John Russell Dyke, 52, unknown address, was charged with three counts of bank robbery. Dyke’s indictment alleges that he did by force, violence and intimidation take United States currency from a teller at the TCF Bank in Blaine on Feb. 11, 2008, from a teller at the TCF Bank in Arden Hills on Feb. 20, and from a teller at the Premier Bank in Blaine on March 4.
According to a Federal Bureau of Investigation affidavit, Dyke allegedly entered the TCF Bank on Feb. 11, and gave a note to a teller stating “I have a pistol. Give me $10,000.” The robber left with approximately $4,010.
Following a similar method, Dyke allegedly robbed the TCF Bank in Arden Hills of approximately $2,020 on Feb. 20, and the Premier Bank in Blaine of approximately $1,519 on March 4. Following the March 4 robbery, a witness observed the robber leaving in a white pickup truck and wrote down the truck’s license plate number. Police discovered the truck was registered to Dyke.
If convicted, Dyke faces a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. All sentences are determined by a federal district court judge. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Blaine Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erika R. Mozangue.
In a separate indictment, Suresh Harlan Small, 26, St. Louis Park, was charged with one count of armed bank robbery. His indictment alleges that on March 28 Small did by force, violence and intimidation take an undisclosed amount of money from the TCF Bank in St. Anthony.
According to an FBI affidavit, a lone gunman robbed the TCF bank and fled on foot. Shortly thereafter, a St. Anthony police officer spotted a vehicle driving erratically in the area of the bank and followed it onto Interstate 694.
The vehicle began speeding and weaving in and out of traffic. At I-494 and County Road 81, the driver was observed throwing cash out of the driver’s side window, and just before the Rockford Road exit, the driver threw clothing out of the vehicle.
Police forced the vehicle to stop near I-494 and Highway 55 in Plymouth by blocking the road. The speeding vehicle crashed on the exit ramp from I-494 to Highway 55, facing north. Police ordered the driver to get out of the vehicle, and when he did, a handgun was pointed at police.
For their own protection, police opened fire on the suspect, striking him in the legs. He was taken to North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale where he was treated for his wounds.
Small was arrested at the scene, and in his vehicle police recovered a large amount of cash, a BB gun, a pillow case and other items. Recovered from the roadway was a nylon face mask and additional articles of clothing.
If convicted, Small faces a potential maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. All sentences are determined by a federal district court judge. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and the police departments of Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Plymouth and St. Anthony. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Newberry.
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An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by the defendant. The defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until he or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.