An alleged serial bank robber has told investigators he is responsible for 12 bank robberies and a holdup of a convenience store in the past year, police and federal law enforcement officials said.

In addition, investigators have evidence linking Michael Rosario Sr. to three other bank robberies, officials said. Detectives are still searching for the roughly $35,000 taken during the heists.

"We are still investigating other cases in which he may be involved," said police spokesman Capt. Frank Fujii.

Rosario appeared in federal court yesterday in connection with three robberies he was charged with in a criminal complaint Wednesday and was ordered held at the Federal Detention Center without bail.

Rosario could be indicted for a combined 15 bank robberies before his next court appearance, set for Wednesday, police and federal law enforcement officials said.

Rosario's attorney, federal Assistant Public Defender Shanlyn Park, did not return a message seeking comment yesterday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Loretta Sheehan, who is prosecuting the case for the government, would not comment yesterday.

Meanwhile, Michael Rosario's wife and former employer said they had no idea the yacht repairman was the man accused of donning disguises and robbing banks in the past year.

"He's very smart but I've never known him to rob banks; this is new," said Monique Rosario, who grew up with him in Brooklyn, N.Y., and moved to Hawai'i with him in 1993. "He was helping me a little bit (with money) but not enough and not nearly bank robbery enough."

Michael Rosario, an Air Force airman from 1983 to 1987, is the father of three boys, ages 14, 8 and 4. His wife said he was more of a friend to them than a father. Monique Rosario and her husband have been separated for two years.

Rosario's former employer, Jim Maynard, president and owner of Pacific Diversified Finishes, a yacht repair company on Sand Island, said Rosario was a hard-working, considerate employee. For six years, Rosario worked part time as a sand blaster and painter.

"He was a very good worker and he took his work seriously," Maynard said. "He was a very nice guy, very considerate of his fellow workers. There was never any indication that he could do such a thing. We were all very surprised."

Maynard said Rosario called him at 8 a.m. Wednesday and said he wanted to pick up $168 in pay. Maynard told him that police had been staking out his office and there was a good chance they would be waiting for him when he arrived. Rosario said he just wanted to pick up the money so he could go to Kmart and buy some toys for his sons.

He planned to give presents to his sons and then turn himself in to police, Maynard said.

After getting off the phone with Rosario, Maynard called Honolulu police and told them Rosario was coming to his office. Rosario was picked up without incident on Sand Island Access Road, 250 yards from Maynard's business.

"We're looking for some people interested in working in the yacht refinishing business and we're definitely going to do good background checks," he said.

Despite allegations his wife made against him involving domestic abuse, and a temporary restraining order she has against him, she said she never suspected he was capable of a yearlong crime spree. Monique Rosario sought a restraining order against her husband last year, about two weeks after he allegedly threatened her at their apartment.

She said her husband slapped, punched and pushed her and threatened to kill her, according to court records. She also said he smashed their computer with a bat, gouged out her face from pictures and put knives through her dolls. According to a police affidavit filed in court, Rosario threatened his wife with a knife and told her he was going to make her a "blood sacrifice" for his father, Satan.

Monique Rosario, 38, also said her husband lit a corn husk doll on fire and stabbed it into the front door of their Waipahu residence in late May, the document said. In addition, she showed police a picture that she said had her face cut out by her husband.

Rosario was given five years of probation last year for terroristic threatening and abusing his wife. He pleaded no contest to the charges in October.

Rosario has been charged with three bank robberies, and police and federal law enforcement officials said they expect Rosario to be charged in federal court with a dozen more bank robberies, and charged in state court with the holdup of a Tesoro convenience store.

Rosario said he committed a dozen bank robberies and the Tesoro heist, but robbery detectives were able to link him to three other bank robberies, officials said.

Police detectives forwarded 15 bank robbery reports to federal prosecutors yesterday.

A first conviction for bank robbery carries a possible sentence of 18 months in federal prison if no weapon was used, and up to seven years in prison if a firearm was involved.

In a few, but not all of the robberies, the robber tore off parts of his disguise as he fled, police said. The robber also used a gun, a pocket knife and a stun gun in some of the holdups.

Rosario allegedly masqueraded as a woman, a construction worker, a security guard, a wounded Army officer and a nurse.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.