A man considered by federal authorities to be a key member of the “Route 35 Crew” that is believed to have robbed 13 banks in the Central Jersey area pleaded guilty to bank robbery and conspiracy charges on Aug. 14, according to U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie.
Michael Green, 30, of Linden, waived the right to have his case presented to a grand jury when he pleaded guilty to one count each of bank robbery, conspiracy to commit bank robbery and Hobbes Act robbery, and possessing a firearm during the commission of a violent offense. Green is believed to be one of six people responsible
for a series of bank robberies across Central Jersey in 2006 and 2007, including
five robberies in Woodbridge, two in Edison and one in Metuchen.
After the plea was entered, U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano ordered Green returned to custody, where he has been since his arrest on Nov. 10, 2007. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 18. Green will face a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and could face a life sentence with $250,000 in fines. He will also be required to pay restitution to the victims of his crimes.
During the plea hearing on Aug. 14, Green admitted to participating in a number of robberies, in which more than $288,000 was taken.
The heists included a September 2007 holdup at the PNC Bank at Route 18 at Edgeboro Road in East Brunswick. Green was one of two masked men who entered the bank brandishing handguns and demanded money from the tellers, making off with about $16,449, according to his plea documents.
According to Green’s admission, the series of robberies began in November 2006 at CardSmart LLC in Garwood, and continued the following month at Speedy Check Cashing in Linden. He also admitted that in 2007 he robbed the Rahway Savings Bank on Jan. 10, the Wachovia Bank in Colonia on Feb. 8, and the Unity Bank in Colonia on March 10 and again on April 24. He admitted to robbing the Columbia Savings Bank in Edison on June 20, the Bank of America in Iselin on June 25, the PNC Bank in Fords on Sept. 4, the Wachovia Bank in Metuchen on Sept. 15, the Bank of America in Edison on Oct. 12, and the Investors Savings Bank in Piscataway on Nov. 10.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Green used a firearm in all but one of the robberies — the CardSmart, though Green said that a co-conspirator who has also been charged, Ruben Rosado, allegedly repeatedly
punched the victim during the incident.
Rosado has been accused of conspiring with Green during each of the robberies. Rosado was indicted on April 16, 2008, for armed robbery of the Investors Savings Bank in Piscataway.
In addition, various alleged accomplices of Green, during different robberies during his one-year spree, are also being charged: Sandy Hart, who pleaded guilty to assisting Green and Rosado during a home invasion in Allentown, Pa.; Andre Billups, charged on April 18, 2008, with possessing property stolen by Rosado and Green during the Bank of America robbery in Edison; and Andria Yarborough, who pleaded guilty on May 20, 2008, for failing to report the Garwood robbery to police and lying to police. Yarborough conspired with Green, Billups and Rosado to rob the CardSmart.