The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

August 25, 2012

Alleged bank robber attempts another delay

By Dan Nienaber The Free Press

— A man facing federal charges for allegedly robbing several banks, including banks in St. Peter and Gaylord, has sent a letter to a judge claiming his attorney has delayed a trial without his permission.

The letter is the latest in a series of odd court maneuvers that have delayed hearings related to the federal bank robbery case filed against 50-year-old Mark Edward Wetsch.

Wetsch has been in federal custody since he was arrested in St. Peter on Jan. 3. A bank in Brewster had been robbed by a man matching the description of a suspect in several other bank robberies. A police officer, knowing the suspect who had been dubbed "The Man in Black" could be traveling through St. Peter on his way home to the Twin Cities area, put out an alert that resulted in Wetsch's arrest.

Caroline Durham, Wetsch's attorney, sent a letter to Federal Magistrate Judge Jeanne Graham in April saying a motion hearing could be canceled because Wetsch had reached a plea agreement with prosecutors.

After being granted a written request for a copy of his court record, Wetsch sent a letter to Graham earlier this month saying he never asked to delay his case as a result of the plea negotiations. He also asked Graham to provide him with a new attorney and postpone a motion hearing that is scheduled for next week.

"I was shocked and unaware that my counsel filed for two continuances on my behalf," the letter, filed Aug. 16, said. "This was done without my knowledge, consent or involvement. While it is true we were in very brief "plea negotiations" (absent the prosecutor) that were very unproductive even though I was willing to be very cooperative with the prosecutor, I was told she was not interested in discussing a resolution with me from my counsel."

After Wetsch backed out of the plea deal, a motion hearing was originally scheduled for July 20. Wetsch's letter to Graham said he did ask Durham to file a motion to have that hearing delayed. The motion said Wetsch is a Muslim and would be fasting to during Ramadan, so he wouldn't be able to participate in the hearing.

Graham denied that motion, but the hearing was delayed anyway because prosecutors learned the St. Peter Police Department had recordings of Wetsch's arrest that hadn't been reviewed.

By coincidence, Wetsch was arrested within blocks of the bank he is accused of robbing in St. Peter less than two weeks earlier. He is facing charges for robbing a total of 13 banks, including a bank in Gaylord on June 19, 2011.

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