By Maricella Miranda
St. Paul Pioneer Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. — William Joseph Boldt told police he was the leader in an armed robbery of an AmericInn in Hastings — less than a day after he was released from state prison.
Boldt, 38, of St. Paul, is now charged with one count each of first-degree aggravated robbery and first-degree aggravated robbery aiding and abetting, according to a Dakota County criminal complaint.
Boldt was charged Tuesday and is being held in the Dakota County Jail. A judge set bail at $500,000 without conditions, or $300,000 with multiple conditions. Boldt’s next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 14.
At least one more person was involved in the robbery Thursday at the AmericInn Hotel & Suites, 2400 Vermillion St., according to the Dakota County attorney’s office. Other initial suspects told police they did not know about the robbery when they drove Boldt to the hotel, according to the complaint.
The case remains under investigation, officials said.
Two men armed with handguns robbed the hotel of cash, then duct-taped an employee to a chair and fled about 2 a.m., police said. The employee was not injured.
Investigators used the hotel’s surveillance video to identify Boldt, who has distinctive tattoos on his face and neck, officials have said.
Boldt and another man were let into the hotel by two people who had checked into a room the previous night, the complaint says. Those people denied knowing about the robbery. Boldt also told police they didn’t know about the crime.
Police later arrested Boldt, who admitted to the holdup, the complaint says. He told officers that he acted alone and that he gave directions to the second suspect.
Boldt was released from state prison less than a day before the robbery after serving time for a 2007 conviction in Washington County for being a felon in possession of a weapon, authorities said.
State records show Boldt has felony convictions for burglary, auto theft, theft and credit card fraud dating to 1990.
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