NEWARK, N.J. – In a brazen act of violence, two women allegedly robbed a Spencer Savings Bank in Garfield, New Jersey, at gunpoint, leaving a community shaken and demanding justice.
Swahilys Pedraza-Rodriguez, 19, of New Haven, Connecticut, and Melisa Aquino Arias, 23, of Passaic, New Jersey, are charged with one count of bank robbery, a serious offense that carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
The alleged heist occurred on Sept. 27, 2017, when Pedraza-Rodriguez and Arias entered the Spencer Savings Bank and asked a bank teller for information about opening a bank account. But instead of following through with their initial request, Arias allegedly took out a black handgun and demanded money, while Pedraza-Rodriguez stood guard by the bank manager.
According to the complaint, a bank teller handed over some cash, and the defendants left the bank, with employees immediately alerting the police. Law enforcement officers responded to the scene but did not immediately locate the robbers.
However, their luck ran out on Oct. 15, 2017, when they allegedly entered an NVE Bank in Teaneck, New Jersey. This time, they were wearing different disguises, with Arias wearing an orange hijab and Pedraza-Rodriguez wearing a black head covering. The employee recognized them as the alleged perpetrators of the Garfield bank robbery and alerted the police. Pedraza-Rodriguez and Arias were apprehended soon after by law enforcement officers.
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 for Pedraza-Rodriguez is K. Anthony Thomas Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark, while Julian Wilsey Esq. of Livingston, New Jersey, represents Arias.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mandatory Facts:
1. Defendant/Respondent Name: Swahilys Pedraza-Rodriguez and Melisa Aquino Arias
2. Exact Criminal Charges: One count of bank robbery
3. City and State: Garfield, New Jersey
4. Exact Date: Sept. 27, 2017, and Oct. 15, 2017
5. Sentence or Outcome: Detained pending trial
6. Dollar Amounts: $250,000 fine (maximum potential penalty)
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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