GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A man sent to federal prison in 2018 for robbing two Grand Rapids banks is back behind bars, accused of targeting one of the same banks again this week.
Dennis Lee Burger, 55, was arrested within hours of Monday’s hold-up at the Macatawa Bank branch on Burton Street near Breton Road SE. He robbed the same branch in January of 2018.
A federal judge sentenced Burger to a little more than three years in prison for those robberies, which occurred when Burger was high on crack cocaine, federal court records show. He told a teller: “You’re about to have a really bad day.’’
With credit for time served since his arrest and other credits, Burger was nearing the end of his sentence.
“At the time of the new offense, he was in the process of transitioning in a halfway house,’’ Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Y. Mekaru wrote in court documents. “On Sept. 19, defendant was not in place and designated an escapee.’’
Two days later, police say Burger entered the Macatawa Branch at 2440 Burton St. SE in the early afternoon and passed a robbery note to the teller. No weapon was used, Grand Rapids police said.
The suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect’s vehicle was stopped by patrol officers near Adams Street and Marshall Avenue SE. Burger was booked into the Kent County Jail hours later.
It was the second bank robbery in Grand Rapids this year. The first occurred earlier this month at a Fifth Third branch on 44th Street SE. No arrests have been made in the Sept. 8 heist.
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,’’ defense attorney David L. Kaczor wrote in a 2018 sentencing memorandum. “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, 2018 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 2018 criminal complaint.
The second robbery occurred around noon on Jan. 16, 2018 about 6½ miles away at the Macatawa branch at 2440 Burton Street SE. 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.
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