St. Cloud Man Sentenced for Robbing TCF Bank

Yesterday in federal court in Duluth, a 23-year-old St. Cloud man was sentenced for robbing a St. Cloud TCF Bank on May 5, 2010. United States District Court Chief Judge Michael J. Davis sentenced Salamo Nam Rakotojoelinandrasana to 57 months in prison on one count of bank robbery. He was indicted on May 19, 2010, and pleaded guilty on November 4, 2010.

In his plea agreement, Rakotojoelinandrasana admitted that on May 5, 2010, he stole $6,053 from the bank. According to a law enforcement affidavit filed in the case, a man, later identified as Rakotojoelinandrasana, entered the bank after 6:30 p.m. on May 5, 2010. He displayed a dangerous weapon and demanded money. After receiving cash, along with a concealed dye pack, he exited through the bank’s rear door.

On May 10, 2010, Rakotojoelinandrasana was arrested after he was observed inserting dye-stained money into slot machines at Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake. While executing a search warrant at Rakotojoelinandrasana’s residence, officers found clothing identical to that worn by the robber. In his vehicle, they also found $2,304 in dye-stained cash and an air pistol.

This case was the result of an investigation by the St. Cloud Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Prior Lake Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie E. Allyn.