photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

The Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center is pictured on Sept. 4, 2024.

A Lawrence man facing two counts of burglarizing two local businesses made his first appearance Wednesday in Douglas County District Court, where prosecutors informed the court that the man is also facing an imminent federal indictment for bank robbery.

The defendant, Alfonzo Cole, 41, was arrested on outstanding warrants last week and appeared in Judge Amy Hanley’s courtroom via Zoom from the Douglas County Jail Wednesday.

Cole is accused of burglarizing the Wingstop, 2233 Louisiana St., on June 7 and the Quick Stop/Cenex, 1000 W. 23rd St., on July 26.

Prosecutors did not give details about the forthcoming bank robbery indictment, but the Douglas County Jail log lists a robbery count on July 2, the same day that the Bank of America at 900 Ohio St. was robbed. Bank of America is also listed as a witness in the Douglas County complaint against Cole.

As the Journal-World reported, that robbery occurred at 9:21 a.m. July 2 when a person carrying a black bag demanded money from a teller before fleeing the scene, heading south on foot with “an undisclosed amount” of cash. The FBI at the end of August had offered a $2,000 reward for information regarding the incident.

The Douglas County District Attorney’s Office asked Hanley to set a $100,000 cash or surety bond for Cole, citing the imminent federal indictment, which prosecutors expected to come down within days. Prosecutors also told Hanley that Cole was a flight risk after he reportedly stated that he “would be in Mexico right now” if he had gotten more money in the alleged bank robbery.

Cole’s attorney, Allyson Monson, requested that Cole be released on an own-recognizance bond instead, saying that he worked two jobs and supported his wife and mother.

Hanley ultimately set Cole’s bond at $50,000 cash or surety and said that if he made bond he would still be subject to “intensive monitoring” through the pretrial release program.