ST. PAUL, Minn., May 7 (UPI) — A 50-year-old former Minneapolis nurse has admitted to being the “Man in Black” who robbed 31 banks in 2011 using a toy gun.
Mark Wetsch abandoned his claims of innocence and pleaded guilty to five counts of bank robbery in federal court in St. Paul, Minn., the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Tuesday.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Aanstad read through the list of 31 robberies attributed to a man wearing a black ski mast and dark clothing.
She paused at the end of each robbery to ask Wetsch if that was he.
“Yes,” Wetsch replied.
U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson questioned Wetsch about his plea.
“Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty?” Nelson asked.
“Very much so, your honor,” Wetsch replied.
Wetsch was indicted on 13 counts of armed bank robbery in February 2012. His total haul was $114,650.
Copyright 2013 United Press International, Inc. (UPI).
