Hunter
03/20/20
An Iowa City transient was taken into custody Thursday morning after allegedly threatening a bank employee.
The incident occurred at the Hills Bank location in the Old Capitol Mall at around 10:30, when 22-year-old John St. John reportedly knocked aggressively on the locked door of the branch. Hills Bank announced this week that they had closed all of their lobby facilities and offering their services through their drive-up locations.
When told by a bank employee that the branch was closed, St. John is accused of telling them, “Give me my money.” St. John was again told that the branch was closed, at which time he allegedly told the employee, “give me my money or I’ll effing shoot you” while putting his hand in his pocket.
Police say St. John then took his hand out of his pocket , made a gun gesture at the employee and said, “bang bang.” The employee told officers that she believed St. John was reaching for a handgun and feared for her life.
A check of court records showed that St. John had been warned for trespass at the same branch less than a week from the incident.
While being taken to the Johnson County Jail, police say St. John made threats towards another officer’s life while in the back of the squad car.
He was taken into custody and charged 2nd degree robbery and two counts of first degree harassment. St. John could be sentenced to a total prison sentence of up to fourteen years if convicted.
