SOUTH BEND MAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS FOR ARMED ROBBERY

The robbery took place at Jefferson Community Federal Credit Union

Jefferson County, Indiana– Tobie Dennis, 44, was sentenced to a total of 25 years with five suspended to be served at the Indiana Department of Corrections in connection with a bank robbery last fall, said Jefferson County Prosecutor David R. Sutter.

Dennis was sentenced September 11 in Jefferson Circuit Court.

He was convicted of armed robbery while armed with a deadly weapon, a Level 3 felony, with the habitual offender enhancement.

His record includes five prior felony convictions for burglary, theft, robbery and residential entry, from 2009 through 2022. Sutter said this was a case that was solved within hours of the crime being committed, due to level-headed bank employees and quick police work.

“One of the employees at the credit union was able to keep her presence of mind in a terrifying situation and gathered pertinent information regarding the suspect and his vehicle,” said Sutter. “That helped police immediately know what vehicle they were looking for and identify a suspect.”

The Madison Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police and local 911/Central Dispatch all played key roles as well. “I want to thank all the law enforcement officials who were involved in this case. Detectives Ricky Harris and Shawn Scudder with the Madison Police Department did an outstanding job and their efforts resulted in the suspect being literally caught with the money in hand within hours of the robbery. They were able to recover every dollar that had been stolen.”

According to the probable cause affidavit, on Nov. 2, 2022, around 4 p.m., employees at Jefferson Federal Credit Union in Madison reported an armed robbery that had just occurred.

One of the tellers told police that a white male wearing dark clothing approached her, handing her a note that read: “This is a robbery, no alarms, I have a gun and will kill you if you do. Give me the money in the drawer.”

The teller complied with the command, handing over approximately $8,615. As the robber left, he encountered another employee who was locking the door, telling her, “Let me out.”

This employee said the man sounded as if he didn’t have any teeth. She saw the man leave in a gray Ford Fiesta with a temporary tag and a “24/7 Cars” sticker. Surveillance camera footage revealed the tag number, which was registered to Dennis. Authorities also learned Dennis was currently on parole.

Less than two hours later, a vehicle matching the description was found in a ditch. The car smelled heavily of bleach and the interior and exterior were wet.

Indiana Parole told officers that Dennis had recently applied to have his address changed to West Blake Road in Deputy. When they went to that address, they found Dennis in the garage with a pile of U.S. currency on the floor.

That money was $3,000 short of the total stolen from the credit union. However, when police examined the frame of a partially disassembled vehicle inside the garage, they found a bag with that amount in it. They recovered the entire $8,615.

When they interviewed another individual at that address, he admitted he and Dennis had previously been cellmates and that Dennis had been staying with him. He also said he followed Dennis to where he drove his car into a ditch and poured bleach on it. The man told police that Dennis said he had robbed a bank.

A search of the West Blake Road property revealed burned material in a fire pit. The man they interviewed told them he saw Dennis put a temporary tag and some clothes in a bag and start a fire.