(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. – A 26-year-old Kenosha man is being held on $100,000 cash bail after prosecutors say he carried out a calculated bank robbery at Chase Bank last week, allegedly motivated by his anger over a home foreclosure.
(Kenosha County Sheriff)
Oscar Giovan Fonseca was formally charged Monday with one count of robbery of a financial institution, a Class C felony punishable by up to 40 years in prison.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
During Fonseca’s court appearance, Assistant District Attorney Sarah Norkus argued for a $250,000 cash bond, citing evidence that Fonseca had planned the robbery in advance and possibly considered additional attacks. She told the court that investigators recovered multiple threatening notes from Fonseca’s home, similar in style to the one used during the robbery.
“The note that was given said, ‘Smile, this is a robbery, I have a gun, walk away, and you get shot,’” Norkus said. “All because the defendant was upset his house was getting foreclosed on. He then decided to go to Chase and put multiple people in danger.”
(Photo by Nathan DeBruin, for Kenosha County Eye)
Court records show the robbery took place on June 4 around 5 p.m. at the Chase Bank branch at 2901 Washington Road. A teller told police Fonseca passed her a note demanding large bills and threatening violence if she triggered any alarms. Surveillance footage captured him entering the bank wearing a mask, gloves, and a trench coat before leaving on a bicycle. An eyewitness confirmed the direction of his escape.
Investigators say the note left behind warned bank staff not to use dye packs or alarms and declared, “THE BANKS MONEY IS INSURED, YOUR LIFE ISN’T.” A search of Fonseca’s home turned up a tan leather bag, gloves, and clothing matching what was worn during the robbery. They also found a black pellet rifle in his vehicle and a series of handwritten notes with phrases such as “#FUCK CHASE” and “I WANT THE BANKS MONEY THE SAME BANK THAT SCREWED ME OVER AND FORECLOSED MY HOUSE.”
A man renting the basement of Fonseca’s home told police the power had been shut off the day of the robbery, and Fonseca had been struggling financially. He also noted Fonseca kept raising his rent despite being broke himself.
Fonseca has no prior criminal history, but the allegations of premeditation and the recovery of additional robbery-related notes concerned authorities. Commissioner William Michel II ultimately set bail at $100,000. Fonseca is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on June 17.
.
.
.
.
