A Union County man was sentenced today to 204 months in prison for robbing seven banks – and attempting to rob an eighth bank while brandishing a firearm – committing one carjacking and attempting to commit three additional carjackings, and taking a hostage at gunpoint while fleeing, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
According to authorities Marlon Peek, 42, of Plainfield, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court to Counts One through 11, 13, 15, and 17 of an indictment.
The counts include: seven counts of bank robbery, one count of carjacking, one count of attempted bank robbery with a dangerous weapon, one count of use and brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence, three counts of attempted carjacking, and one count of forced accompaniment in attempting to avoid apprehension for the attempted armed bank robbery.
Officials say Peek robbed or attempted to rob the following New Jersey banks:
TD Bank, Edison, March 17, 2015
Magyar Bank, Edison, March 31, 2015
Investors Bank, Dunellen, April 9, 2015
Wells Fargo, South Plainfield, April 14, 2015 (aiding and abetting)
Unity Bank, Middlesex, April 15, 2015
PNC Bank, South Plainfield, April 21, 2015
TD Bank, Springfield, April 21, 2015
Bank of America, Linden, May 6, 2015
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From March 2015 to May 2015, Peek and others committed a string of crimes. At each bank, Peek presented a note demanding cash from bank tellers, including, on at least six occasions, statements that he had a gun and would shoot.
According to authorities, during the robbery of the TD Bank in Edison, New Jersey, on March 17, 2015, Peek handed a teller a note that read, in part, “I have gun will shoot to kill you have 3 seconds.” In the course of the attempted robbery of the Bank of America, Peek pointed a loaded firearm directly at a bank teller.
Officials say Peek admitted that he committed a carjacking in Plainfield, New Jersey, on April 21, 2015, between robbing the PNC Bank and the TD Bank that day, and that he committed three attempted carjackings using a loaded firearm directly after attempting to rob the Bank of America in Linden on May 6, 2015. He also admitted that in attempting to flee from the attempted robbery of the Bank of America, he entered a warehouse, took a hostage, held a loaded gun to the hostage’s head, and forced the hostage to accompany him. Law enforcement officers arrived on the scene and ordered Peek to drop his gun. Peek then surrendered his weapon and was arrested.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hayden sentenced Peek to five years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $21,598.