A Duluth man charged with an August bank robbery pleaded guilty to one of the three counts against him Monday.
Anthony Luke Tomaino, 28, was charged with one felony count each of simple robbery, felony theft and possession of a controlled substance. His attorney filed a petition Monday to plead guilty to the simple robbery count in exchange for having the other counts dismissed. District Court Judge Dale O. Harris ordered a presentence investigation be done before the plea is accepted. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 20.
Tomaino remains in the St. Louis County Jail on $75,000 bail.
According to the criminal complaint:
Tomaino entered the US Bank on Maple Grove Road about 1:40 p.m. Aug. 16 and yelled: "Get down, everybody, get down." No weapon was seen or implied, police said. He placed a green reusable grocery bag on the counter and pushed it through the window while telling the teller to put the money in the bag. Tomaino then ran out the back door of the building toward the woods with more than $1,000.
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At 3:33 p.m., sheriff's deputies located Tomaino driving on Rice Lake Road and stopped him. Tomaino reportedly said he had some "coke" in his shoe. He removed the shoe and inside was about $199 in cash and a small baggie containing a white powdery substance that later tested positive for cocaine. Five of the bills found in Tomaino's shoe matched serial numbers of bills taken in the bank robbery.
Tomaino, a former Duluth Marshall hockey standout, allegedly told police he had a gambling problem and was experiencing financial difficulties.
