The man accused of robbing the Chase Bank on the Main Strip last month has pleaded not guilty and will move forward with a new court-appointed private attorney as prosecutors consider whether to pursue more serious charges.

Cesar Sanchez, 40, is charged with one count of felony robbery in Pinal County Superior Court. He appeared for arraignment Nov. 14, where Judge Daniel Washburn withdrew the Pinal County Public Defender’s Office from the case and appointed attorney Zachary Huselid to represent him. Huselid is a private defense lawyer based in Casa Grande.

Sanchez entered a not guilty plea. A separate Nov. 14 filing indicates he was released from custody afterward on a $50,000 bond, though the specific conditions of his release were sealed by the court and not publicly available.

A Nov. 19 filing suggests prosecutors are considering whether the case meets the criteria for aggravated robbery, which would elevate the severity of the charge. No amended charge has been filed.

Sanchez is scheduled to appear for his initial pretrial conference on Monday at 9 a.m. before Judge Jason Holmberg.

Police arrested Sanchez within minutes of the Nov. 4 robbery after a teller reported he passed a note claiming he had a gun and demanded money. Investigators said Sanchez dropped an envelope containing the stolen cash as officers detained him. No firearm was recovered, but the note reportedly stated he had one.

Prosecutors also notified the court that they intend to impeach Sanchez as a witness using his prior criminal history. Tucson City Court records show Sanchez has a misdemeanor conviction for disorderly conduct involving fighting and a history of repeated failures to appear that led to multiple warrant issuances over the course of the case. Those records list his residence as Gilbert.

Maricopa police detectives continue to investigate the case, with the FBI notified as is standard in bank robberies.