Bank robbery suspect faces more charges

MINDEN - Additional felony charges have been filed against bank robbery suspect Steven Simmons who is accused of taking nearly $5,000 from the Minden Bank of America branch at gunpoint in November.

East Fork Justice Jim EnEarl set a preliminary hearing for Simmons, 27, on Aug. 25.

He has been in Douglas County Jail on $250,000 bail since his arrest Nov. 22.

Simmons originally was charged with robbery with the use of a deadly weapon.

Additional charges filed Wednesday include burglary, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm with the serial number changed, altered, removed, or obliterated, and grand larceny.

According to the amended complaint, Simmons is accused of pointing a loaded Glock handgun at two employees and threatening to shoot them if they did not comply with his demands.

Simmons' actions, according to the complaint, "placed (the employees) in reasonable fear he would carry out the threat."

The serial number had been removed from the handgun.

Officers said Simmons allegedly ran from the bank with $4,807 which was recovered.

He was arrested 45 minutes after the robbery when he was found hiding in a dog crate at a residence on Belarra Drive, a few blocks from the bank.

Prosecutor Derrick Lopez said if Simmons were convicted of all charges, he would face up to 49 years in prison, depending on whether the sentences were concurrent or consecutive.

The penalties are doubled because of the use of a deadly weapon.

Lopez said Simmons can still face federal bank robbery charges no matter what happens in District Court.

"It's up to the U.S. attorney," Lopez said. "They can wait to see what happens in our case. If he were acquitted, the federal government could decide to charge him. If he's convicted, and they don't think he received enough of a sentence, they can still decide to charge him. Even if they agree with the sentence, they can charge him.

"Their charge is bank robbery which is a federal crime. Ours is robbery, which applies to bank, a business, or a person."

Lopez said federal and state laws are separate and a defendant is not protected by double jeopardy statutes.

The suspect underwent an evaluation at Lake's Crossing Center for the Mentally Disordered Offender in Sparks where he was determined to be competent.