APPLETON — Police say a Grand Chute man charged with the Sunday morning armed robbery of a cinema fled with more than $20,000 in cash.
Officers recovered more than $18,000 of that along the ground after bills fell from Cornelius D. Carolina's shirt as he ran from their pursuit, a criminal complaint says.
Carolina, 29, was charged Tuesday in Outagamie County Court with armed robbery, first-degree reckless endangerment, theft, false imprisonment and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Court Commissioner Brian Figy ordered Carolina held on a $100,000 cash bond.
The second man remains at large. Carolina refused to identify an accomplice after his arrest.
"I did it alone," he told police, even though surveillance video from the cinema confirmed that two people entered the building and committed the robbery.
Assistant Dist. Atty. Mark Schroeder asked for a significant cash bond based on the severity of the allegations and a previous robbery conviction. Court records show Carolina served nearly five years in prison after a 2000 robbery in Milwaukee County.
"I do think he's a danger to the public and a flight risk," he said.
Police say Carolina and another man robbed Marcus Hollywood Cinema, 513 N. Westhill Blvd., Grand Chute, shortly before 6:30 a.m. Sunday. The men forced an employee into the office at gunpoint, disconnected a computer in an attempt to disable cameras, then bound the man at the wrists and ankles with zip-ties. One of the men tied him while the other filled bags with money.
After they left, the employee hopped to the phone, put it on speaker and dialed 911.
Police arrested Carolina after Town of Menasha police spotted a person matching his description about 7:30 a.m. Sunday. Officers found Carolina along W. Prospect Avenue and took him into custody after a foot chase. In addition to cash, police found a black semi-automatic handgun along the pursuit path.
Carolina's pockets contained gloves, a knit ski mask and more than $2,500 in cash, the complaint says.
He faces more than 78 years in prison if convicted.
His preliminary hearing was set for May 4.
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