A Brooklyn man was recently sentenced to 20 years in a federal penitentiary for committing a bank robbery in Oakland, New Jersey. This happens on a regular basis in Bergen County and it could happen to you if you are accused of stealing from a bank while in possession of a weapon such as a handgun or knife. Armed robbery is one of the most serious crimes in New Jersey, along with others like carjacking. Fortunately, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty and there’s a lot that can be done to defend a robbery case in court. Call 201-556-1570 to speak with a local Oakland NJ robbery lawyer with experience defending these cases in Bergen County and courts throughout the state.

What Happens if Convicted of Robbing a Bank in Oakland, New Jersey?

A conviction for armed bank robbery could land you in prison for up to 20 years. In the case mentioned above, the suspect committed the robbery on April 15, 2013. According to prosecutors, the suspect entered the TD Bank located in Oakland NJ and used a handgun to rob a bank teller. The suspect fled with several thousand dollars in cash.

Police later captured the suspect and he was subsequently charged with first degree armed robbery. The suspect ultimately managed to avoid a trial by reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors. The suspect, a 63-year-old man from Brooklyn NY, was previously on the FBI’s ‘Most Wanted” list for other theft crimes. Authorities said that the suspect was wanted for robbing at least eight other banks in California and Ohio 28 years ago.

The suspect recently made an appearance in U.S. District Court in Newark NJ so that he could be formally sentenced on the bank robbery charges. The federal judge sentenced the suspect to a term of incarceration of 20 years. Additionally, the suspect will be placed on supervised release for three years once he completes his prison sentence.

For further information about this case, see the NJ.com article, “Man Formerly on FBI ‘Most Wanted’ List Gets 20 Years for N.J. Bank Robbery.”