News (Media Awareness Project) - US WI: Ex-SDC Employees Held in Robbery |
Title: | US WI: Ex-SDC Employees Held in Robbery |
Published On: | 1998-04-07 |
Source: | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) |
Fetched On: | 2008-09-07 12:22:46 |
EX-SDC EMPLOYEES HELD IN ROBBERY
Two recently-fired Social Development Commission employees, including one
who was responsible for steering young people away from crime and gangs,
have been arrested and charged with robbing a Brown Deer bank.
Henry L. Martin and Lisa A. McElwee, both fired from the SDC last July, are
charged in federal court with robbing a branch of the Tri City National
Bank, in Brown Deer, of approximately $1,212 on March 19.
Martin, director of the SDC's youth diversion program when he was fired,
was released on bond from federal custody Monday but is required to wear an
electronic bracelet that monitors his whereabouts.
The FBI had listed Martin, 55, of the 4500 block of W. Deer Run Drive in
Brown Deer, as a suspect in two other bank robberies. But his attorney,
Patrick Cafferty, said Monday that Martin could not be identified in
lineups that Milwaukee police conducted last week. Martin's next appearance
in federal court is April 27, where he plans to plead not guilty to the
bank robbery charge, Cafferty said.
McElwee, 36, remains in the Waukesha County Jail but is expected to be
released today to a drug treatment program.
The criminal complaint against Martin and McElwee says that after her
arrest, McElwee told the FBI and Milwaukee police that she met Martin
six-and-a-half years ago when both worked together at the SDC. Authorities
quoted McElwee as saying that she and Martin are both "regular users of
heroin."
The complaint quotes McElwee as saying that she and Martin planned the Tri
City Bank robbery, with Martin giving her a lighter that looked like a
small handgun to use if needed.
McElwee walked into the bank -- inside a Pick 'N Save grocery store --
around 6:53 p.m. on March 19, the complaint says, and handed a teller a
note that said: "This is a robbery, give me all your money . . ."
The complaint says McElwee, carrying the stolen money, fled the bank while
being chased by Pick 'N Save stock boys and jumped into a car driven by
Martin. After their getaway, the two split the money, the complaint says.
McElwee was quoted as telling police that Martin, fearful that the stock
boys might have gotten his license number, called police two hours after
the robbery to report that he had been "carjacked" by a woman running from
the bank, the complaint says. Martin said he did not know the woman.
However, the FBI says that three relatives, along with McElwee's former
supervisor at SDC, identified her as the robber, based on bank surveillance
photos. The complaint says that SDC personnel told the FBI that McElwee
started working at the SDC in 1994, and that she and Martin had worked
together.
Martin, arrested on March 27, had four court hearings before his release
Monday. At those hearings, the government disclosed a long criminal history
that included prison sentences for robbery, forgery and burglary.
Federal prosecutors had argued that Martin should not be released.
Cafferty, Martin's attorney, said Monday that Martin's release on bond
requires him to undergo any drug treatment ordered by the court's pretrial
services office.
"He's acknowledged his heroin use," Cafferty said.
Cafferty acknowledged that Martin's criminal record was introduced in
court, but noted that his last conviction dates back to 1977. That
conviction, on seven counts of interstate transportation of forged
securities, led to a 10 year prison sentence in federal court in Portland,
Ore. Martin was released after serving five years.
Martin was hired by the SDC in 1989. As director of the SDC's youth
diversion program, Martin worked with at-risk and gang-affiliated youths.
Last July, when the SDC fired both Martin and McElwee, SDC executive
director Deborah Blanks declined to identify the reasons for dismissal. On
Monday, SDC spokeswoman Crystal Williams said the SDC does not release
personnel information.
Two recently-fired Social Development Commission employees, including one
who was responsible for steering young people away from crime and gangs,
have been arrested and charged with robbing a Brown Deer bank.
Henry L. Martin and Lisa A. McElwee, both fired from the SDC last July, are
charged in federal court with robbing a branch of the Tri City National
Bank, in Brown Deer, of approximately $1,212 on March 19.
Martin, director of the SDC's youth diversion program when he was fired,
was released on bond from federal custody Monday but is required to wear an
electronic bracelet that monitors his whereabouts.
The FBI had listed Martin, 55, of the 4500 block of W. Deer Run Drive in
Brown Deer, as a suspect in two other bank robberies. But his attorney,
Patrick Cafferty, said Monday that Martin could not be identified in
lineups that Milwaukee police conducted last week. Martin's next appearance
in federal court is April 27, where he plans to plead not guilty to the
bank robbery charge, Cafferty said.
McElwee, 36, remains in the Waukesha County Jail but is expected to be
released today to a drug treatment program.
The criminal complaint against Martin and McElwee says that after her
arrest, McElwee told the FBI and Milwaukee police that she met Martin
six-and-a-half years ago when both worked together at the SDC. Authorities
quoted McElwee as saying that she and Martin are both "regular users of
heroin."
The complaint quotes McElwee as saying that she and Martin planned the Tri
City Bank robbery, with Martin giving her a lighter that looked like a
small handgun to use if needed.
McElwee walked into the bank -- inside a Pick 'N Save grocery store --
around 6:53 p.m. on March 19, the complaint says, and handed a teller a
note that said: "This is a robbery, give me all your money . . ."
The complaint says McElwee, carrying the stolen money, fled the bank while
being chased by Pick 'N Save stock boys and jumped into a car driven by
Martin. After their getaway, the two split the money, the complaint says.
McElwee was quoted as telling police that Martin, fearful that the stock
boys might have gotten his license number, called police two hours after
the robbery to report that he had been "carjacked" by a woman running from
the bank, the complaint says. Martin said he did not know the woman.
However, the FBI says that three relatives, along with McElwee's former
supervisor at SDC, identified her as the robber, based on bank surveillance
photos. The complaint says that SDC personnel told the FBI that McElwee
started working at the SDC in 1994, and that she and Martin had worked
together.
Martin, arrested on March 27, had four court hearings before his release
Monday. At those hearings, the government disclosed a long criminal history
that included prison sentences for robbery, forgery and burglary.
Federal prosecutors had argued that Martin should not be released.
Cafferty, Martin's attorney, said Monday that Martin's release on bond
requires him to undergo any drug treatment ordered by the court's pretrial
services office.
"He's acknowledged his heroin use," Cafferty said.
Cafferty acknowledged that Martin's criminal record was introduced in
court, but noted that his last conviction dates back to 1977. That
conviction, on seven counts of interstate transportation of forged
securities, led to a 10 year prison sentence in federal court in Portland,
Ore. Martin was released after serving five years.
Martin was hired by the SDC in 1989. As director of the SDC's youth
diversion program, Martin worked with at-risk and gang-affiliated youths.
Last July, when the SDC fired both Martin and McElwee, SDC executive
director Deborah Blanks declined to identify the reasons for dismissal. On
Monday, SDC spokeswoman Crystal Williams said the SDC does not release
personnel information.
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