GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A crack-addled bank robber who told a teller ‘you’re about to have a really bad day,’ was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for robbing two Macatawa Bank branches in Grand Rapids earlier this year.
A federal judge sentenced Dennis Lee Burger to 40 months behind bars for heists his attorney says “were not well thought out.’’
“He robbed the very banks where he had an account and where he had been seen by the tellers on a regular basis,’’ defense attorney David L. Kaczor wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “Each was an attempt to get money for his drug addiction; he was high when he committed each robbery.’’
Burger, 52, was sentenced Thursday, May 24 in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids. Judge Robert J. Jonker ordered that Burger spend three years on supervised release once he gets out of prison. He is also on the hook for $8,854 in restitution.
Burger, who was raised in the city of Wyoming and is twice divorced, has grappled with substance abuse issues for many years.
“His drug of choice is heroin; although he has been addicted to crack cocaine, methadone and alcohol,’’ Kaczor wrote. “He admitted to being high on crack at the time he robbed each bank.’’
Investigators say Burger netted about $9,600. The first robbery occurred about 11 a.m. on Jan. 13 at the Macatawa branch at 3177 Knapp Street at East Beltline Avenue NE.
The suspect appeared to be filling out a transaction slip when he stated that he forgot his account number and left the bank for a few moments, according to a criminal complaint. He came back in and handed a teller a transaction slip and a plastic sandwich baggie.
A handwritten message on the slip stated “this is a robbery, put all cash in this bag.’’
The teller put approximately $3,567 in the baggie and pushed it toward the robber, court records show.
“The robber then said ‘thanks,’ left the bank and drove away in a late model Kia Soul, according to the criminal complaint.
The second robbery occurred around noon on Jan. 16 about 6½ miles away at the Macatawa branch at 2440 Burton Street just east of Breton Road SE. Like the earlier heist, the suspect handed the teller a sandwich bag and a transaction slip with the message “this is a robbery, put all cash in this bag.’’
As he pushed the baggie towards the teller, the robber remarked: “You’re about to have a really bad day,’’ court records show.
The suspect then put both hands in his jacket pockets, which the teller interpreted to mean he might be concealing a handgun, according to the criminal complaint. The teller put approximately $6,000 in the baggie and gave it to the robber, who then left in a maroon-colored Chevy sedan.
Two employees said they recognized the bank robber as a regular customer later identified as Burger. “Mr. Burger recognizes the trauma he created for the bank employees,’’ Kaczor wrote. “He would apologize to each person if he could.’’
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