Burnsville man sentenced to 41 months for robbing Burnsville credit union
A 33-year-old Burnsville man was sentenced today in federal court to 41 months in prison in connection with the July 23, 2007, robbery of the U.S. Federal Credit Union in Burnsville.
United States District Court Judge Paul Magnuson also sentenced John Christian Buttner to three years of supervised release May 15 in Minneapolis. Buttner pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery on Dec. 12, 2007.
According to a Federal Bureau of Investigation affidavit, a robber entered the bank, walked directly to a teller and stated words to the effect of, “Give me all your money and stay calm.” The teller complied and gave the man cash from her teller drawer. The robber took approximately $7,910, placed it into a black leather shoulder bag, exited the bank and ran toward a wooded area.
Shortly after the robbery, law enforcement interviewed a nearby construction worker who told officers that he saw a man fitting the description of the robber running out of the woods and enter a nearby apartment complex. The complex was locked and could only be opened by residents of the complex.
A Burnsville police officer identified the robber as Buttner after viewing bank surveillance photos of the robber, and the officer knew Buttner lived in the nearby apartment complex. During an executed search warrant of Buttner’s residence on July 24, 2007, police recovered the bag, cash and clothing that appeared to match those used by the robber.
This case was the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Burnsville Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erika R. Mozangue.