Hawthorne Bar Robbery: Getaway Driver Admits Guilt

NEWARK, N.J. – A Christmas Day robbery in Hawthorne, New Jersey, has finally seen a key player admit guilt. Oscar Avalos-Cortez, 22, of New City, New York, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, admitting he drove the crew that relieved the bar of approximately $200 in cash.

Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced the plea, entered before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares. Court documents detail how Avalos-Cortez transported at least six individuals to the Hawthorne bar on December 25, 2015. They didn’t go for holiday cheer; they went to rob it. The group forcibly took the money and made their escape in Avalos-Cortez’s vehicle.

The conspiracy charge carries a hefty potential penalty: up to 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for August 2, 2017, leaving Avalos-Cortez facing a grim future. He was originally charged in November 2016 alongside Wilbur Jonathan Barahona, 21, of Ridgewood, New Jersey; Guillermo Carrillo-Iraheta, 19, of Suffern, New York; Balmore Carrillo-Iraheta, 19, of Suffern; Juan Chiliseo-Vega, 20, of Suffern; and Jostin Reyes, 21, of Waldwick, New Jersey.

This wasn’t a simple smash-and-grab. Three of Avalos-Cortez’s co-conspirators – Chiliseo-Vega, Guillermo Carrillo-Iraheta, and Reyes – have already pleaded guilty to related charges, including a separate carjacking and kidnapping. While Avalos-Cortez wasn’t directly involved in those offenses, they paint a picture of a crew willing to escalate to serious violence. They are awaiting their own sentencing dates.

The net is still tightening. Balmore Carrillo-Iraheta was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 18, 2017, for his role in the bar robbery. And the charges against Barahona remain pending, encompassing not only the robbery but also the carjacking and kidnapping. Both men are, of course, presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, spearheaded the investigation, receiving crucial assistance from the Ridgewood and Hawthorne Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elaine K. Lou and Karen D. Stringer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark are prosecuting the case. Avalos-Cortez was represented by Kevin Conway Esq., of Spring Valley, New York. This case serves as a stark reminder that even the driver can face serious consequences when involved in a violent crime.