New York Man Sentenced To Five Years In Prison For Robbing, Attempting To Burglarize Four New Jersey Banks

TRENTON, N.J. – A Manhattan man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for robbing banks in Jackson Township, Fort Lee, and Hasbrouck Heights, as well as attempting to burglarize a fourth bank in Englewood between December 2013 and February 2017, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Eddy Cruz, 42, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an information charging him with three counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank burglary. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

On Dec. 24, 2013, Cruz entered a PNC Bank in Jackson Township and handed a bank teller a note demanding money. After the teller handed him some cash, Cruz fled the scene. Cruz also robbed a TD Bank in Fort Lee on Feb. 13, 2017, and a TD Bank in Hasbrouck Heights on Feb. 18, 2017. During both robberies, Cruz wore a mask to disguise his identity and handed the tellers notes demanding cash.

On Feb. 24, 2017, law enforcement officers tracked Cruz’s car, which had been spotted at one of the earlier bank robberies, to a location in Manhattan. That same day, Cruz drove to yet another TD Bank in Englewood where he was apprehended moments before he robbed the bank in a similar disguise to what he wore during the previous two bank robberies.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Cruz to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $10,556.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark and Special Agent in Charge John Brosnan in New York; the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Dennis Calo; the Fort Lee Police Department, under the direction of Chief Keith M. Bendul; the Hasbrouck Heights Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael J. Colaneri; the Roxbury Police Department, under the direction of Chief Marc Palanchi; the Paramus Police Department, under the direction of Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg; and the Jackson Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Matthew Kunz, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Greenburgh, New York, Mount Pleasant, New York, and Yonkers, New York, police departments, as well as the New York Police Department for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua L. Haber of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark

Defense counsel: Linda Foster Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark

Judge Sentences Clairton Heroin Dealer to Nearly 8 Years in Federal Prison

PITTSBURGH, PA- A resident of Clairton, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to seven years and 10 months in prison, followed by six years’ supervised release, on his conviction of conspiring to distribute narcotics, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Kevin Jackson, 35.

According to information presented to the court at the time he entered a guilty plea, Jackson purchased one or more grams of heroin on a daily basis from his codefendant, Skyler Carter, for further distribution in the Clairton area. Jackson and 20 other individuals were charged in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, and he was held personally responsible for the distribution of between 100 and 400 grams of heroin.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, the Allegheny County Police Department, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

Two KC Men Sentenced to 19 Years for Armed Robbery Conspiracy

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Kansas City, Mo., men were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a conspiracy to commit 10 armed robberies at local businesses.

Jerry D. Patterson, 22, and Michael A. Harris, 20, were each sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 19 years and six months in federal prison without parole.

On March 12, 2018, Patterson and Harris each pleaded guilty to the armed robbery conspiracy and to brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Each admitted he was involved in a conspiracy to commit 10 armed robberies at area businesses over a four-week period in September and October 2017.

On Oct. 15, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $3,500 at gunpoint from Walgreens Pharmacy, 1536 E. 23rd St., Independence, Mo. They drove Patterson’s red 2007 Pontiac G6 sedan; after officers discovered the vehicle, Patterson and Harrison abandoned it and fled on foot. Investigators searched the vehicle and found a Glock .40-caliber handgun, an extended .40-caliber magazine, money taken from the robbery, and a number of items used in several of the armed robberies. Agents also found a Kahr Arms .40-caliber handgun (seen in several surveillance videos) in a nearby wooded area.

On Oct. 20, 2017, Patterson reported his car stolen. On Oct. 31, 2017, both Harris and Patterson were arrested at their respective apartments. Evidence from the numerous robberies was recovered from each of their homes.

Patterson and Harris each admitted that they committed a series of armed robberies during the conspiracy. Patterson brandished a Kahr Arms .40-caliber handgun in all of the robberies. Harris brandished a Glock .40-caliber handgun in all of the robberies. In addition to the Walgreens Pharmacy robbery on Oct. 15, 2017, Patterson and Harris admitted they committed nine more armed robberies:

•    On Oct. 14, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $4,275 at gunpoint from Walgreens Pharmacy, 9300 Gregory Blvd., Raytown, Mo.;

•    On Oct. 14, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $3,000 at gunpoint from CVS Pharmacy, 6244 S. Brookside Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.;

•    On Oct. 10, 2017, Patterson and Harris robbed Dollar General, 5105 Blue Ridge Blvd., Raytown, Mo., at gunpoint;

•    On Oct. 9, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $3,705 at gunpoint from Walgreens Pharmacy, 2261 S. Sterling Ave., Independence, Mo.;

•    On Oct. 8, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $575 at gunpoint from Domino’s Pizza, 3709 S. Noland Road, Independence, Mo. They also stole $400 from employees.

•    On Oct. 2, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $2,500 from CVS Pharmacy, 5310 Blue Ridge Blvd., Raytown, Mo.;

•    On Sept. 26, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $380 from Family Dollar, 12521 E. 40 Hwy., Independence, Mo.;

•    On Sept. 26, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $150 and some store items at gunpoint from 7 Eleven, 11107 Grandview Rd., Kansas City, Mo.;

•    On Sept. 10, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $3,500 from Walgreens, 1100 E. 63rd. St., Kansas City, Mo.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Raytown, Mo., Police Department.