25-Year-Old Charged in TCF Bank Robbery

A South Milwaukee man told police he robbed TCF Bank because he "wanted to go to federal prison," according to a criminal complaint.

Joseph Jenich, 25, was charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court Friday with robbery of a financial institution. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison and $100,000 in fines.

According to the complaint:

Jenich walked into 8995 S. Howell Ave., wearing dark rimmed sunglasses with a fake mustache attached to it about 11 a.m. Oct. 20. He quietly told a teller, "I'd like to make a deposit."

He then handed the teller a note saying "all the money in a bag any dye packs and I blow this whole place, be calm draw no attention to you or you die any problems you're dead."

Jenich then handed the teller a plastic shopping bag. The teller began to fill it with money while Jenich continued to say "no dye packs, no dye packs." After she filled it and handed back to Jenich, he once again asked if there were dye packs inside and she said no.

He then left the bank in a westerly direction and the teller informed other workers she had just been robbed.

After getting a tip from a Caterpillar security guard, Oak Creek police officers caught up to Jenich. He admitted to the crime, saying that "robbing the bank was the solution. It's impossible for me to stay clean. I'm sucking everyone dry."

He then told the officers he got the fake mustache and sunglasses from a Halloween store and confessed, "I wanted to rob a federal bank. I want to go to federal prison."

Jenich is currently being held in Milwaukee County Jail on $10,000 bond while awaiting trial. 

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