Cottage Grove Woman Sentenced for Robbing Maplewood Bank

A 30-year-old Cottage Grove woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Minneapolis for the August 29, 2009, robbery of a Wells Fargo Bank in Maplewood. United States District Court Judge David S. Doty sentenced Ma Myrrelli Juanillo Asuncion to 18 months in prison on one count of bank robbery. Asuncion was indicted on September 23, 2009, and pled guilty on January 21, 2010.

In her plea agreement, Asuncion admitted stealing $2,487 from the bank and making up the story that she was forced to rob the bank to protect her children. According to an affidavit filed in the case, Asuncion entered the bank and passed a teller a note that stated she needed $15,000, or her children would be harmed. The teller complied, giving Asuncion all the money in the teller drawer. Asuncion then handed the teller another note that stated she was being forced to commit the robbery. In the plea agreement, Asuncion admitted signing the second note with a false name. Asuncion turned herself into the Federal Bureau of Investigation on August 30, 2009.

This case was the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Maplewood Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle E. Jones and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Tricia A. Tingle.