Man pleads innocent to bank robbery in Saugus

SALEM – Bail for a Saugus man who is facing a potential life sentence for allegedly robbing a local bank remains at $50,000 cash following his innocent plea Wednesday.Stephen DeSantis, 33, of 399 Lincoln Ave., pleaded innocent to a charge of armed robbery before Judge Timothy Q. Feeley at Salem Superior Court. The case will be continued Jan. 6.In the meantime, DeSantis remains held in lieu of the high bail at the Middleton Jail.Authorities say on Sept. 23, DeSantis entered the Eastern Bank branch, located at 605 Broadway in Saugus at about 4:40 p.m. and allegedly handed a bank teller a note that read, “I have a gun. Give me all the money. No $20?s only $50?s and $100?s. Nobody will get hurt.”The teller handed over $2,350 in cash and the would-be robber fled on foot from the bank. The silent alarm system went off during the holdup and police quickly responded.Police followed DeSantis to a nearby hiding place on Forest Street, where the found money allegedly from the bank in his right coat pocket.Police did not find any weapon on him when they arrested him.Police brought him back to the bank, where the teller identified him as the man who conducted the holdup. Police said DeSantis later made a statement implicating himself in the bank robbery.