Coon Rapids Veteran Sentenced in St. Cloud TCF Bank Robbery

ST. CLOUD -- A military veteran from Coon Rapids is getting a second chance after robbing a St. Cloud bank in 2013.

Twenty-nine-year-old Michael Berger avoided prison time when he was sentenced on one count of 2nd degree aggravated robbery Thursday. He pleaded guilty to the felony count in November.

Berger was sentenced to 15 years probation with several conditions including no drugs or alcohol, remain law abiding and complete the Veterans Protocol Court. Berger must also pay restitution on the $1,400 he stole from the bank. He gets credit for the one day he served in the Stearns County Jail but did not receive any additional jail time as part of his sentence.

Court records show Berger walked into the TCF Bank on 25th Avenue South in October 2013, handed the teller a note that read "I am sorry, I have a gun, quietly and quickly put your $20's, $50's and $100's from your drawer into an envelope just as if I was making a withdrawal."

The note was sent to an FBI lab for fingerprint analysis. The analysis matched 10 separate prints from its database identifying Berger as the suspect. Berger's prints were in the database due to his military service.

He admitted to the robbery last May when investigators questioned him.