Authorities indentify suspect who attempted robbery at Dexter bank

Authorities have identified the man accused of robbing a customer at a Dexter Bank Friday morning.

Captain Corey Mills of the Dexter Police Department said in a probable cause statement that Mitchell Lee Johnson, of Bone Terre, walked into Region's bank with the intention of robbing the facility.

Mills said in the statement that it was first reported the Johnson grabbed money from a customer's hand and fled the property.

Mills said when Johnson was apprehended in a parking lot southwest of McDonalds, he was in possession of a white bank envelope containing a bundle of U.S. currency and a note.

According to the probable cause statement the not read “This is a robbery. Hand over $8,000 dollars, and no-one gets hurt. No dye packs. I don't want to hurt you. But I will If l have too. All I want

is the money. Don't alert any of our co-workers."

“Johnson was verbally read his Constitutional Rights, which he waived. Johnson admitted he intended to use the note he had written to do a robbery at Regions Bank,” said Mills. “Johnson realized (when) he saw the female inside the bank holding the money and decided it was easier to take the money from her.”

Mills said the victim stated in an interview that she was at the bank with the intention of withdrawing currency . Mills said the victim stated the clerk gave her the desired currency and a male, later identified as Johnson, standing behind her forcefully grabbed the money from her hand and fled the property.The victim and her husband, who witnessed the incident, attempted to follow Johnson.

Mills said Detective Thomas Forkum along with himself interviewed Johnson at the Dexter Police Department. Mills said Johnson again waived his constitutional rights and agreed to make a statement.

“In the interview, Johnson said he had been at the Southeast Health behavioral health floor since March 31, 2022, because of mental health issues,” said Mills. “On today's date (Friday, April 8), Johnson said he was discharged from the hospital and walked to Regions Bank. Johnson added before he was discharged, he wrote the note found on his person inside his hospital room.”

Mills said once Johnson entered the bank he observed a female in front of him holding a bundle of U.S. currency.

“Johnson said his initial plan was to hand the note over to the Regions Bank clerk but thought it was easier to take the money from the female,” said Mills. “After grabbing the US currency from the female's hand, Johnson said he ran out of the bank. Johnson said his attention was committing a robbery. However, he had no plans of hurting anyone.”

Johnson said that after the robbery, he would use the money to go to California and avoid his former gang members.

“Johnson said since leaving a prison gang, he was being followed and felt they were going to kill him.,” said Mills. “Johnson admitted he had been incarcerated before for a Bank robbery in Illinois. Johnson also admitted he had assaulted an officer.”

Mills said hospital records confirmed Johnson had been in the behavioral health unit since March 31, 2022 and was discharged April 8 at 10:32 a.m.

Mills said no weapons were involved in the incident nor were there any injuries reported. Mills said four bank employees and two additional customers were in the facility at the time of the incident.

According to the warrant Johnson has been charged with two counts of felony stealing. He is being held on a $1,000,000 cash only bond. Johnson is being held at the Dexter Police Department as the investigation continues.