BOSTON — Two men have been charged in federal court in Boston in connection with the November 17, armed bank robbery of the Rockland Trust bank on Martha’s Vineyard.
According to the charging documents, on the morning of Nov. 17, three masked and armed individuals forced their way into the rear door of the Rockland Trust bank in Tisbury wearing dark-colored clothing and matching white masks that resembled an elderly man with exaggerated facial features.
Witnesses told officers that each of the individuals were carrying what appeared to be semi-automatic handguns. The video surveillance also showed that one of the individuals was carrying what appeared to be a walkie-talkie. Once inside the bank, one of the individuals held a gun to the head of one of the bank employees and forced him to open the bank’s vault, allegedly taking approximately $39,100, then bound the employees with duct tape and plastic zip ties, demanded access to one of their vehicles, and left the premises in an employee’s car, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office. A short time after the robbery occurred officers located the stolen car in a parking lot 2 miles from the bank.
According to charging documents, Miquel Antonio Jones, 39, of Edgartown, and Omar Odion Johnson, 32 of Canterbury, N.H., were identified as suspects after officers recovered three $100 bills and clothing consistent with the individuals in Jones’ car; a black handgun from Johnson’s home; and paperwork reflecting both a money transfer to Jamaica in the approximate amount of $700 and cash deposits in the amount of $4,100 made at a bank in Connecticut in Johnson’s car.
During a search of the Tisbury farm used by a local landscaping company that employs Jones, a glove, paper money band, zip tie and multiple rubber band – items consistent with the bank robbery – were recovered, according to the complaint affidavits.
Investigators also observed an area that appeared to have had a recent fire, and found burned pieces of nylon, white metal plastic consistent with a white mask, burned walkie-talkie pieces, an antenna, batteries and pieces of metal consistent with a duffle bag zipper, according to officials. Within a few feet of the burned area, two loaded semi-automatic handguns were discovered buried in the ground.
On November 19, Jones was arrested and charged with armed and masked bank robbery. He remains in state custody.
On Nov. 25, a warrant was issued by the Edgartown District Court charging Johnson with masked and armed robbery of the Rockland Trust bank. He was arrested in New Haven, Connecticut, and is currently in state custody awaiting arraignment.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
“The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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