A Mendota man accused of holding up a bank Friday – no weapon was displayed or even suggested – was released from custody Monday into home confinement.

Jacob M. Rinaldo, 29, appeared in La Salle County Circuit Court for a detention hearing. He could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of financial institution robbery, the most serious of his three charges.

According to court records and open-court statements, Rinaldo approached Mendota police Feb. 27 for a donation to buy a train ticket. When police declined, Rinaldo entered First State Bank and demanded money. A teller sent him away empty-handed.

Rinaldo then went into Midland States Bank and, according to a pleading, presented a note demanding cash.

“I need you to hand me all the $50s and $100s you can,” the note read, according to a new court filing. “I don’t care how crazy this sounds, but Gold told me it’s time to be a smooth criminal and do this. I don’t have any weapons and I’m not gonna hurt anyone. So let’s not make this (illegible) awkward. LOLLOL Wish me luck!”

The teller complied and gave him $650. Mendota police quickly developed Rinaldo as a suspect and recovered six $100 bills. Rinaldo, according to court records, provided a statement in which he admitted breaking the $50 to purchase tobacco or vaping items.

Assistant La Salle County State’s Attorney Laura Hall asked the court to have Rinaldo detained. Robbery presents a direct threat to public safety, she argued, and Rinaldo’s attempts to acquire a train ticket indicate a risk of flight.

Assistant La Salle County Public Defender Brad Popurella argued for home confinement with GPS monitoring. Popurella said Rinaldo had no criminal history and characterized Friday’s events as evidence of a “mental health crisis.”

Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. wavered a bit – the judge expressed concern with the train ticket and risk of flight – before concluding that Rinaldo, with no criminal history, had given no indications that he couldn’t comply with the terms of pre-trial release.

A grand jury will hear Rinaldo’s case on March 10. His controlling charge is financial institution robbery, a Class 1 felony carrying four to 15 years in prison.

He is also charged with robbery and theft, Class 2 and 3 felonies carrying respective sentences of three to seven years and two to five years.