Fountain Valley police nab local man who allegedly robbed bank, fled with cash

A 34-year-old Fountain Valley man is facing a charge of second-degree robbery, after he allegedly held up a Slater Avenue bank by passing a note to the teller indicating he had a gun, police reported Tuesday.

Benjamin Michael Kelleher pleaded not guilty to the felony charge during an Oct. 28 hearing, four days after officers located him in a residence and seized an undisclosed amount of cash found in his possession, according to a news release issued Tuesday.

The robbery reportedly took place on Oct. 21 at a Wells Fargo bank at 10060 Slater Ave., where police were called to the scene by employees. Kelleher allegedly handed a stick-up note to the teller, who complied with his request, and then fled the bank on foot.

Fountain Valley police recovered an undisclosed amount of small-denomination bills they believe were stolen during an Oct. 21 robbery at Slater Avenue Wells Fargo.

(Courtesy of the Fountain Valley Police Department)

Fountain Valley police Detective Sgt. Bill Hughes said officers reviewed the bank’s security camera footage and chanced upon Kelleher three days later after receiving a call for service regarding a disturbance at an apartment complex on the 10400 block of Slater Avenue, roughly half a mile away from the scene of the robbery.

“Officers arrived and recognized him from the robbery days prior,” he said.

Kelleher was detained without incident and booked into custody.

Investigators recovered several small-denomination bills they believe may have been taken from the bank, the FVPD release indicated, but Hughes said Tuesday no firearms were recovered from Kelleher’s apartment.

Kelleher is currently being held in Orange County’s Theo Lacy facility, according to an online inmate locator maintained by the sheriff’s department. His next scheduled court hearing was expected to take place Wednesday, according to court records.

The Fountain Valley man was previously arrested in 2019 for driving under the influence of drugs, a misdemeanor charge, records indicate, and in March 2021 was sentenced to three years probation, community service and a program for first-time offenders.

A Fountain Valley police arrest log also indicates Kelleher was arrested on December 18, 2020, on suspicion of felony assault. Hughes confirmed Tuesday the district attorney’s office did not file charges in that incident.

An investigation into the bank robbery is still pending. Anyone who may have information about the suspect or incident is encouraged to contact Fountain Valley Police Det. Ivan Arce at ivan.arce@fountainvalley.gov.