Dwayne Edward Rasmussen, Bank Robbery, Oklahoma 2019

Dwayne Edward Rasmussen, 65, is behind bars after allegedly storming into the Community Bank of Oklahoma in Chickasha and demanding cash at gunpoint. At approximately 9:15 a.m. on April 30, 2019, a man walked in, told a teller: “Give me all your 50’s and 100’s,” then upped the ante—”That’s not enough. Give me all your money”—before sweeping nearly every dollar from three teller drawers. The total loss: $10,474.

According to an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, Rasmussen didn’t come empty-handed. He allegedly brandished a weapon that appeared to be a pistol with a green grip—enough to scare employees into compliance. He also used a large sponge to jam the ‘mantrap’ door at the bank’s entrance, ensuring a quick exit. The move reeked of planning, not panic.

Surveillance footage from the bank and a church across the street lit a fire under the investigation. Eyewitness accounts and interviews with Rasmussen’s acquaintances painted a damning picture. The FBI Oklahoma City Division, working hand-in-hand with the Chickasha Police Department, zeroed in on him. On May 6, agents pulled him off the streets of downtown Oklahoma City and into custody.

Rasmussen made his first court appearance that same afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary M. Purcell. A preliminary and detention hearing is scheduled for May 9. No bond has been set, and the weight of federal charges is already pressing down on him.

If convicted of bank robbery, Rasmussen faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and full restitution. Prosecutors Wilson McGarry and Mary E. Walters of the U.S. Attorney’s Office are handling the case, signaling the DOJ’s intent to throw the book at him.

The public is reminded that the charge is merely an allegation. Dwayne Edward Rasmussen is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Court documents and public filings remain open for scrutiny as the case moves forward.

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