Belleville Man Cuffed in Collinsville Bank Heist

A Belleville man is behind bars after allegedly storming into a Regions Bank in Collinsville, Illinois, and seizing cash by force. Michael S. Putman, 50, was charged on Saturday, February 11, 2017, with one count of Bank Robbery following the incident the previous day at the Madison County branch.

The criminal complaint alleges that on Friday, February 10, 2017, Putman used violence and intimidation to take money from employees at the bank. The funds were under the legal care, custody, control, and possession of Regions Bank, federal prosecutors say, making this a federal offense.

Putman appeared before a federal magistrate who ordered him detained without bond pending indictment. The court’s decision signals serious concern over flight risk or danger to the community, though no motive has been publicly disclosed.

If convicted, Putman faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory supervised release term of up to five years. The charge stems from the federal statute governing the robbery of financial institutions receiving federal deposits.

A criminal complaint is not a conviction—it’s a sworn statement of probable cause. Putman is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. His defense team has not yet made a public statement.

The investigation was led by the Collinsville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with critical assistance from the Illinois State Police, East St. Louis Police Department, and the United States Marshal Service. The case is now in the hands of Assistant United States Attorney Ali Summers, who will prosecute if the grand jury returns an indictment.