Bismarck Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Larceny

BISMARCK—United States Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on September 13, 2011, Michael J. Link, 23, of Bismarck, North Dakota, pleaded guilty in United States District Court to a charge of bank larceny.

Link was employed by Alpha 6, Inc., which provided armored car services to transport money for U.S. Bank in Bismarck, North Dakota. Some time prior to February 23, 2010, Link, Matthew Fiechtner, and Nathan Tuenge contrived a plan to steal money from an Alpha 6 van that was transporting money for U.S. Bank. On February 23, 2010, Link, and another Alpha 6 employee, who was not involved in the larceny, picked up money from the U.S. Bank north branch at 3318 North 14th St. in Bismarck. The money was to be taken to the U.S. Bank downtown location at 200 N. 3rd St. Before going to the downtown location, the van was taken to the U.S. Bank Arrowhead location at 1144 N. 3rd St. Tuenge and Fiechtner were waiting in the parking lot and when both Link and the other Alpha 6 employee went into the bank, Tuenge took cash from the Alpha 6 van by opening the back door of the van with a key that had been provided by Link. The remaining money from the van was taken to the downtown location by Link, and shortly after it was delivered, bank officials discovered that the north branch money was missing.

In October 2010, law enforcement officials received information about who was involved in the theft, which led to the charges being filed against Link, Tuenge, and Fiechtner.

Co-defendant Matthew Fiechtner, 20, Bismarck, pleaded guilty on December 14, 2010, to a charge of conspiracy to commit bank larceny. Sentencing for Fiechtner has been scheduled for October 17, 2011, in United States District Court in Bismarck, North Dakota, at 1:30 p.m.

Co-defendant Nathan Tuenge, 26, Mandan, pleaded guilty on December 14, 2010, to a charge of conspiracy to commit bank larceny. Sentencing for Tuenge has been scheduled for October 17, 2011, in United States District Court in Bismarck, North Dakota, at 2:00 p.m.

Sentencing for Link has been scheduled for December 12, 2011, in United States District Court in Bismarck, North Dakota, at 11:00 a.m.

The charge of bank larceny carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of conspiracy to commit bank larceny carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bismarck Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney David Hagler is prosecuting the case.