Man who took hostages during attempted St. Cloud bank robbery sentenced to 6.5 years

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — A Waite Park man was sentenced Thursday to more than six years for an attempted 2021 St. Cloud bank robbery in which he took multiple hostages.

Ray McNeary, 39, took five hostages at a Wells Fargo bank on May 6, 2021. The criminal complaint said he was speaking to a bank manager about potential fraud on his account, and became upset when the manager couldn't find his account.

The manager hit the silent panic alarm and several customers fled the building, but five employees remained inside. McNeary then demanded $60,000 in cash from the vault.

The complaint went on to say that McNeary allegedly told the hostages that he was going to harm them and he wanted a "big show" with the FBI and media and that he would take the victims "with him."

McNeary held a pair of scissors against the bank manager's neck and back, charges said. Four employees were able to leave the bank during the 8-hour standoff, which eventually ended when the bank manager fled and law enforcement were able to move in and arrest McNeary. The bank employees were unharmed.

He pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery in March. He was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, five years of supervised release and must pay $8,210 in restitution.