On July 13, 2024, Kenosha Police asked for the public’s help in identifying a man who they say robbed two banks at gunpoint in a three-month period. KPD released the following photos:

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The first robbery occurred on April 13, 2024 @ 9:54 a.m. and the second, on July 13, 2024 @ 11:30 a.m. They both occurred at US Bank at 1800 22nd Ave on the north-east side of Kenosha County. Unfortunately, one of the tellers was present and the victim for both robberies.

The very same day that Kenosha Police released the videos, they got an anonymous tip that the perpetrator was Jerry Harden, a 59-year-old Kenosha man with a bad criminal past and believe it or not, was out on bail.

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According to the criminal complaint:

On April 13, 2024, Kenosha Police responded to the US Bank at 1800 22nd Ave. after dispatched reported that an armed robbery had occurred at the bank. At that location, a Kenosha Police Officer spoke with a female teller, who was clearly upset and crying. She stated that a male black who appeared to be in his 30-40s, 5’2” to 5’5” with a skinny build, wearing a black jacket with the hood up, a surgical mask over his face, and gloves, walked up to her teller window. This male had a firearm in his left hand. (Harden is left-handed). The male leaned over the counter toward the teller and pointed the gun at her. He told her “Make this easy, give me all your money”. She opened her cash drawer and took out $2,861 which she spread on the counter. The male then “scooped” up the money and left the bank on foot. She stated that he headed east to 22nd Ave and south on the west side of the roadway. She stated that she thought of her family during the incident and worried that she would be killed and never see her husband or children again.

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On July 13, 2024, Kenosha Police again responded to the US Bank at 1800 22nd Ave. after receiving a report of another armed robbery at that location. A Kenosha Police Officer spoke with a different female teller, who reported that she was robbed at gunpoint by a black male who she described as approximately 50 years of age, 5’0” to 5’2” tall, very skinny, with brown hair, a baseball hat, a surgical mask covering his face, and a green and white shirt. She stated that she was at her teller window and the same teller who was robbed on April 13th was helping a customer when they observed the black male open the door and peek inside. He left briefly but then came back and walked up to her window. The black male put a black drawstring bag on the counter and displayed a black handgun. He told her to put the money in the bag. The black male saw the previous victim moving and pointed the gun at her, saying he was going to shoot her. The teller this time took out about $5000 from her drawer and spread it out on the counter. The black male then pointed his gun at the teller from the first robbery and said “yours too”. She took out approximately $1,700 from her drawer and gave it to the black male. The black male gathered the money together in his arms and tried to put it in the bag. As he was doing so, he dropped the gun to the ground. He picked it up, put all the money in the bag, and left the bank. The teller last saw him walking south on 22nd Ave.

Kenosha Police shared the photos with the media and were told Jerry Harden was the man. Harden was on parole and his agent positively picked him out of a photo lineup. The teller that was a victim of Harden’s twice also picked him out of a photo lineup. A Kenosha Police detective consulted with the FBI and learned that Harden’s GPS location was consistent with him committing the robberies. When KPD arrested Harden, they downloaded his cell phone and learned that he had evidence on his phone of obtaining money in an amount similar to what he robbed.

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Harden was charged with two counts of Robbery of a Financial Institution – Use of a Dangerous Weapon and as repeaters. He was also charged with two counts of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and four counts of felony bail-jumping. He faces 170 years in the Wisconsin Prison System if convicted of all charges.

Past Criminal History

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On June 16, 2022 Harden was charged with a felony charge of Possession of Burglarious Tools and Possession of THC. According to the criminal complaint, on June 15, 2022 at 1:48 a.m., a Kenosha County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to an address in Somers. Harden was caught on three homes’ security cameras trying to break into a home from the back yard. The footage showed Harden take off his hat and gloves and leave the area.

A Deputy then initiated a traffic stop on Harden’s vehicle. Harden was sweating profusely. Harden stated he was sweating profusely becuase he “stopped to take a piss,” and “a fucking raccoon ran out on me.” In Harden’s vehicle, police found a THC vape pen, a black Detective Academy flashlight, and a screwdriver on the front passenger floorboard of the vehicle. In the trunk, Deputies located a gray adjustable wrench and a crowbar. Both had several different colors of paint on the edges, and it was clear both had been used frequently as they had chips and marks on the edges.

Harden was given a $5,000 bail by former court commissioner Larry Keating. On February 9, 2023, Judge Jason Rossell lowered the bail to $2,500, which allowed him pay bail, hit the streets, and commit new crimes.

By 1999, Harden already had a criminal record, but it is too far back for KCE to find without too much cost. Harden was convicted of two counts of Burglary as repeaters and two counts of Criminal Damage to Property for a June 22, 1999 crime. He was sentenced to more that 30 years in prison.

Harden was convicted for Burglary and Attempted Burglary for a June 16, 1999 crime. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

After only serving 23 years of a 55 year sentence, Governor Tony Evers’ Parole Board granted him parole on February 4, 2022. He would attempt burglary again after being paroled for only four months.

Kenosha County Circuit Court Commissioner Donald Bielski set Harden’s bail at $100,000, so Harden won’t likely be victimizing anyone anytime soon.

Harden represented himself at at least one trial and appealed his convictions to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and Supreme Court almost a dozen times. All appeals have been denied.