Bank RobberyNathaniel Brown, a 19 year old Plainfield man, was arrested on Wednesday April 23 by South Plainfield police as a suspect in connection with the recent robbery of a Wells Fargo bank in Edison. The bank robbery occurred on April 14, when Brown demanded money from a teller at the bank. Police are still searching for another Plainfield man who is also allegedly connected with the robbery, 39 year old Marlon Peek.

Edison NJ Robbery Penalties

Since bank robbery is considered a federal offense, Brown will face harsh penalties under Title 18, Section 2113 of the US Code, including significant fines and up to 20 years’ time in prison. If Brown also committed any acts of assault during the robbery, made any threats, or used a weapon in the course of committing the robbery, potential penalties will then escalate, including harsher fines and up to 25 years’ time in prison. In contrast, if the robbery had not involved a bank or federal institution, then only New Jersey law would have applied to Brown’s offense, with N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1 dictating potential penalties of 5 to 10 years’ jail time for a second-degree crime, or 10 to 20 year’s jail time for a first-degree crime if there were aggravating factors such as an armed offender or an attempt to inflict serious bodily harm. While the charges are pending, Brown is being held without bail at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center, located in North Brunswick, New Jersey.

Multiple Robbery Charges

Peek will face similar charges if and when he is apprehended by police in connection with the burglary. However, Peek is also a suspect in the recent robbery of a PNC bank in South Plainfield, and will therefore likely be subject to at least two counts of robbery charges if and when he is apprehended by police, potentially increasing the applicable penalties.