Dallas

FBI: Frisco Man Was Bank Robber Dubbed ‘Mr. Potato Head'

Bandit wore a fake nose and other disguises, FBI says

The FBI has arrested a bankrupt Frisco man and accused him of being a bank robber dubbed "Mr. Potato Head."

John Thomas Rutledge, 55, was given the moniker because he used a fake nose and other disguises, said FBI spokeswoman Melissa Urbina.

He is suspected in five to 10 bank robberies in Dallas and Addison, she said.

Rutledge worked in commercial real estate, according to his LinkedIn page.

He declared bankruptcy in May and listed assets of $18,506 and liabilities of $425,308, including a debt of $250,000 to the North Texas Tollway Authority.

FBI agents had Rutledge under surveillance and he was arrested Oct. 30 after he robbed the Bank of America on Berkshire Lane, Urbina said.

He showed tellers notes demanding money but never displayed a weapon, she said.

Rutledge is being held in the Kaufman County jail, which has a contract to house federal prisoners.

An earlier version of this report described Rutledge as a realtor. While he was a licensed real estate professional, he was not a member of the National Association of Realtors.

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