By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Morris County announced the sentencing of Melvin Banks, 37, of Somerset, in connection with the armed robbery of a high-end luxury car rental business on December 4, 2021, and subsequent tampering with a witness.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll said on April 12, the Honorable Claudia Jones, JSC, imposed an aggregate sentence of 50 years in New Jersey State Prison, with 25.5 years of parole ineligibility.
Officials stated that specifically, the defendant received 30 years for the 2nd-degree Conspiracy to Commit Robbery and 1st-degree Robbery counts, consecutive to 20 years on the 1st-degree Witness Tampering charge.
Banks was also sentenced to a concurrent 5-year term for 3rd-degree Theft of a Motor Vehicle, officials said.
According to officials, Banks had been found guilty by a jury on February 9, 2024, of first-degree Armed Robbery, one count of second-degree Conspiracy, third-degree Theft of a Motor Vehicle, and first-degree Witness Tampering.
Officials say he was held at the Morris County Correctional Facility pending sentencing.
The State presented evidence that Banks targeted the owner of a high-end luxury car rental business in a conspiracy to rob the individual of jewelry and other items, authorities say.
Morris County officials said that on December 4, 2021, Banks was scheduled to return a rented Mercedes S580 to the victim and coordinated its return for 9 p.m. that same evening.
Authorities say at 9:31 p.m., the victim was instead robbed at gunpoint by co-defendant Daniel Lind.
Officials said Lind fired a handgun, mere feet from where the victim sat, and took approximately $100,000 in jewelry and cell phones.
Lind then fled the business and entered the waiting rental vehicle driven by Melvin Banks, officials say.
In the hours leading up to the robbery, officials stated, Banks and Lind were captured on surveillance purchasing black gloves and cable ties at a local Home Depot and returning to the scene of the robbery to await the victim’s arrival.
According to officials, in the months after the robbery, during the subsequent investigation of the crime by Riverdale Police, Banks sent messages threatening harm to the victim and the victim’s family if the victim did not drop the charges.
Prior to trial, officials say, Daniel Lind pled guilty to first-degree Robbery and second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and was sentenced to 8 years in New Jersey State Prison.