Martin Muniz-Lara appears in court Oct. 27, 2025. (Image courtesy Outagamie County courts/Zoom)
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – In light of the federal government filing charges against Martin Muniz-Lara for allegedly robbing a Bear Creek bank, state prosecutors dropped the charges against him Thursday.
Muniz-Lara, of Greenville, previously pleaded not guilty in federal court to two counts: armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. A Feb. 17 trial date is scheduled.
Court officials say in October, Muniz-Lara entered the Premier Community Bank in Bear Creek, showed a gun and demanded money. He also stated he had a bomb. At one point, he climbed over the desk area to get behind the counter.
No one was injured. An audit determined $9,305 was stolen. Muniz-Lara denied the allegations in an interview with police.
If convicted of the first charge, Muniz-Lara faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. The second charge carries a sentence of up to life in prison, with a seven-year mandatory minimum sentence that must be served consecutively to any other sentence.
Muniz-Lara would also be subject to fines, a special assessment and terms of supervised release at the end of any prison sentence imposed upon him.
His arrest led to two additional arrests in a drug investigation, according to the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office.
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