NY Man Gets Prison Time for Armed Robbery of Bank in Lodi, New Jersey
A man who robbed a Lodi bank was sentenced to 10 years behind bars in New Jersey State Prison. The defendant, 41-year-old Michael Cassano of Queens, New York, was arrested by Lodi police officers on February 23, 2015, a short time after he held up the Hudson City Savings bank located in Lodi, New Jersey. Cassano entered the bank and used a BB gun to threaten a bank employee.
After Cassano got $4,000 in cash, he quickly exited the building. However, instead of leaving the area, Cassano went to a nearby Dunkin’ Donuts to buy donuts. He was apprehended by law enforcement a few minutes later as he walked from the donut shop to his motor vehicle.
Harsh Penalties for Armed Robbery Charges in Lodi, NJ
Cassano was charged with numerous crimes, including first degree armed robbery and weapons offenses. In August 2017, Cassano reached a plea deal with Bergen County prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the charges for armed robbery; prosecutors then agreed to drop the other criminal charges. If Cassano had fought the armed robbery charges, went to trial in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack, and been convicted by a jury, he would have faced 20 years in state prison. Instead, Bergen County prosecutors asked the court to sentence Cassano to 10 years in prison, with a requirement that he serve a minimum of 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. (Since Cassano has already spent the last two years in the Ocean County Jail while awaiting resolution of the case, he received credit for time already served.)
At the sentencing hearing in Bergen County Superior Court, Cassano asked the judge to impose a more lenient sentence. Cassano stated that he was a successful businessman and a church minister prior to the Lodi bank robbery. Cassano also said that he suffered from a mental illness and an addiction to cocaine. However, the judge ultimately denied Cassano’s requests for leniency.
Cassano’s situation isn’t entirely settled. That’s because he also faces criminal charges for a bank robbery in Toms River, NJ. Cassano allegedly held up a PNC bank in Toms River just a few weeks before he the bank robbery in Lodi, New Jersey.
Contact an Experienced Criminal Attorney About Your Bergen County Robbery Charges
Were you arrested for robbery, theft, or any other criminal offense in Bergen County? Then you should speak with a knowledgeable criminal lawyer immediately. Travis Tormey is a highly skilled criminal attorney who knows how to help clients beat theft and fraud charges in New Jersey. Contact Attorney Tormey now to discuss your case.