A Bound Brook man today admitted robbing five banks and attempting to rob another between June 2014 and June 2015, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Luis Castaneda, 40, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an information charging him with six counts of bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of one of the robberies.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Castaneda admitted that between June 6, 2014 and June 12, 2015, he robbed or attempted to rob six banks, all in New Jersey:
- June 6, 2014
County Educators Federal Credit Union (Somerville)
- Dec. 3, 2014
Manville Area Federal Credit Union
(Manville)
- March 19, 2015
Public Service Credit Union
(Middlesex)
- May 9, 2015
Peapack-Gladstone Bank (Attempt)
(Piscataway)
- May 9, 2015
Unity Bank (Whitehouse Station)
- June 12, 2015
Somerset Savings Bank (Somerset)
Castaneda admitted that during each of the above robberies, he and others threatened to use force while demanding money from the bank employees.
He also admitted that during the Somerset Savings Bank robbery on June 12, 2015, he brandished a firearm in order to intimidate one or more of the bank employees.
The bank robbery charges to which Castaneda pleaded guilty each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charge of brandishing a firearm carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 15, 2016.