Chicago man pleads not guilty in September bank robbery

Dec. 8—A Chicago man charged with robbing a Rochester bank in September has pleaded not guilty to simple robbery.

Jacari A. Peters, 31, pleaded not guilty Monday in Olmsted County District Court.

Rochester police were called about 9:40 a.m. Friday, Sept. 10, for a report of a robbery at Sterling State Bank, 10 25th St. SE. Police spokeswoman Amanda Grayson wrote in an email that day that no weapon was displayed during the incident.

Peters may have made off with more than $1,500. Officers would later find $1,694 in cash, some of which matched the serial numbers of bait money from Sterling State Bank, in the center console of the vehicle Peters was in when he was stopped by police, according to the criminal complaint.

Peters was arrested in Mantorville about 40 minutes later after the bank robbery. He is alleged to have made a demand for money at a Pine Island Bank between the Sterling State Bank robbery and his arrest.

Peters' defense attorney Krista Rissman filed a motion with the court on Dec. 1 to suppress all evidence obtained from Peters' cell phone.

The motion argues that the search of the phone "did not comply with the requirements of Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, and correlate provisions of the Minnesota Constitution."

The motion also argues that the warrant authorized "exploratory rummaging" of Peters' cell phone did not have a direct connection to the crime charged. Court records do not indicate if a ruling was made on the motion.

At the plea hearing Monday, Peters also made a demand for a speedy trial. A date has not yet been scheduled.

Peters has been held at the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center on $75,000 conditional bail since Sept. 13, 2021.