Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of Allen Ernst, 28, of Garfield, Karina Eremyan, 31, of Fair Lawn and Antonio Bowen, 28, on charges of armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon.
According to Prosecutor Musella, around 3:30 a.m., on March 23, Saddle Brook Police responded to a 911 call reporting that an Uber driver had robbed a man in the parking lot located at 50 Kenny Place in Saddle Brook.
A man held a knife to the victim’s neck while demanding he hand over his backpack, which contained $3,000 and other items.
Prosecutor Musella stated that shortly after the suspect robbed the victim of his backpack and money, the victim was able to escape by running away.
A months-long investigation by detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad and the Saddle Brook Police Department revealed that Ernst was the actor who held a knife to the victim’s neck and that Eremyan and Bowen conspired with Ernst to commit the armed robbery.
According to the investigation, Eremyan was operating the vehicle the victim was riding in, and Bowen was operating a nearby vehicle that Ernst fled in.
Prosecutor Musella stated that on Thursday, August 18, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad and the Hasbrouck Heights Police Department arrested Eremyan without incident in Hasbrouck Heights.
On Monday, August 22, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad, Saddle Brook Police Department, and Bergen County Sheriff’s Office arrested Ernst without incident in Saddle Brook.
Later that same afternoon, Bowen was served with his charges at the Morris County Jail in Morristown.
According to Prosecutor Musella, Ernst, Eremyan and Bowen were each charged with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon.
Ernst was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a detention hearing scheduled for August 26 at 9:00 a.m.
Eremyan was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a detention hearing scheduled for August 29 at 9:00 a.m. Bowen remains lodged in the Morris County Jail.