Man gets 6.5 years in federal prison for 2021 bank robbery, holding bank employees hostage
![Ray Reco McNeary
(Stearns County Jail)](https://kstp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/RayMcNearyMugshot3-29-24.jpg)
Ray Reco McNeary (Stearns County Jail)
A 39-year-old man was sentenced to over six years(78 months) in federal prison for a bank robbery in 2021 in which he took employees hostage.
Along with his federal sentence, the state’s case against Ray Reco McNeary has been dismissed, according to court records.
As previously reported, McNeary pleaded guilty to armed robbery of a bank in March.
Court officials say he went into a bank in St. Cloud on May 6, 2021, and claimed that fraudulent activity had occurred in his bank account. When the manager couldn’t find any accounts for McNeary, he reportedly demanded $60,000 from the vault.
Police responded to a silent panic alarm and learned that he was holding five employees hostage. He was later arrested after an eight-hour standoff.
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