Essex County, New Jersey, Man Charged With Two Bank Robberies And Using Firearm In Connection With Crime Of Violence

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man charged with robbing Capital One Bank in Newark twice, including once in an armed robbery, will make his initial court appearance today, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Gregory A. Jones, 59, of Newark, is charged by complaint with two counts of bank robbery and one count of using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. Jones is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Dickson in Newark federal court. 

According to the complaint and statements made in court:

On May 6, 2014, Jones entered the Capital One Bank wearing dark glasses and a scarf and presented the teller a note demanding cash. After Jones left the bank with stolen money, including a dye pack, law enforcement recovered a pair of dark glasses and a scarf near the bank next to currency, saturated with ink from the dye pack. DNA recovered from the glasses and the scarf matched a DNA sample that previously was lawfully obtained from Jones. He was later identified based on surveillance video and witness statements.

On Sept. 19, 2014, Jones entered the bank again, brandished a firearm from underneath his sweater, and told a teller to give him money, stating that he had a gun and would shoot. Jones fired the weapon into the ceiling. He was later identified using surveillance video and witness statements.

Jones has been detained in the Essex County Jail on state charges related to the May 6, 2014 robbery.

The bank robbery counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss. The discharging a firearm during the bank robbery count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, which must be served consecutive to the other counts.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel in Newark, New Jersey; N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Rick Fuentes; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray; and the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Svetlana M. Eisenberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office General Crimes Unit in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.