LaGrange man who turned himself in after robbing bank found guilty; sentencing set for July 17

LaGRANGE, Mo. — A LaGrange man was found guilty of stealing from a financial institution on April 18 after a two-day jury trial in Lewis County Circuit Court in Monticello.

The jury recommended a five-year sentence to the Missouri Department of Corrections for Jason E. Day, 50. Judge Matthew Wilson will sentence Day on July 17.

A probable cause statement from Chief Aaron Johnson with the La Grange Police Department said that at approximately 1:13 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 8, he was notified by NECOMM 911 of a hold-up alarm at the Town and Country Bank, 110 Main. He said he was at his desk at the time and looked at a monitor with eight security cameras, two of which show areas near the bank, which is just around the corner from the police department at 204 W. Washington.

“When I looked at the front parking lot camera, I observed a person I know to be Jason Day walking toward the front door of the police department,” Johnson wrote. “In his front left jacket pocket was something sticking out that appeared to be money.”

Johnson went to a secure window looking into the lobby and saw Day sitting in a chair, with large sums of money protruding from both front pockets. When Johnson asked Day what was going on, Day replied, “I figured I should come here before it got bad.” 

Day was taken into custody at 1:16 p.m. Five minutes later, Day was read a Miranda warning. He then told Johnson he “changed his mind.” He said he told a gray-haired lady to give him the money, and after she gave him the money out of her drawer, he walked out of the bank and to the police department.

Day then gave Johnson a written statement that read, “I walk in the bank ask for money they gave it to me. Then I decided to walk over to the police department and turn myself in.”

A statement from the bank teller said she believed Day was coming in to open an account. Day told her he had changed his mind and didn’t want an account, then said, “I just want all your money.” She said Day shoved his hands in his pockets and thought he might have a gun, although she didn’t see one. She emptied her entire cash drawer on her desk. Day shoved the money in his pockets and left the bank with $9,918.

“A special thanks to the bank employees who testified in this matter,” Lewis County Prosecuting Attorney Chelsea Fellinger said in a statement on the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department Facebook page. “Their willingness and courage to testify insured Mr. Day would be brought to justice.”