Man accused of attempted bank robbery, stealing

Court documents indicate a man allegedly planned to rob a Dexter, Missouri, bank but instead grabbed cash from a bank customer and fled before being apprehended by police.

A probable cause statement, written by Capt. Cory Mills of Dexter Police Department, indicates Mitchell Lee Johnson, 33, of Bonne Terre, Missouri, entered Regions Bank at 1028 W. Business U.S. 60 at about 10:45 a.m. with a handwritten note demanding money.

“This is a robbery,” the statement says the note reads. “Hand over $8000 dollars, and no-one [sic] gets hurt. No dye packs. I don’t want to hurt you. But I will if I have too [sic]. All I want is the money. Don’t alert any of your co-workers.”

But when Johnson entered the bank, he observed Deborah Worley, who had withdrawn $3,000 in cash.

The statement says Johnson grabbed the money from Worley and fled.

Worley and her husband, John, chased Johnson, and police later apprehended Johnson.

The statement says Johnson told investigators he had been in a “prison gang” and felt he was being followed and “felt they were going to kill him.” He wanted to use the proceeds from the planned bank robbery to travel to California in an effort to evade the gang members, according to the statement.

Johnson told investigators, and records confirmed, he had been in a local behavioral health facility for mental health issues, leaving the facility earlier the day of the alleged events.

The statement notes a prior conviction of bank robbery in Illinois and several assault convictions in Missouri.

Prosecuting Attorney Russell Oliver charged Johnson with two counts of felony stealing.

Johnson is being held in lieu of $1 million cash-only bond.