For participating in the April 2011 robbery of a West Brunswick Township bank, Orlando L. Velez Jr. must forfeit seven years of freedom, a federal judge said Friday in Scranton.
Velez, 24, of Reading, one of three men who robbed Union Bank & Trust Co., will serve seven years in a federal correctional institution, Senior U.S. District Judge James M. Munley ruled.
Munley also sentenced Velez to spend three years on supervised release after his prison term.
Velez, who pleaded guilty June 25 to aiding and abetting an armed bank robbery, received the longest of the prison sentences handed down to the men who held up the 300 Pinebrook Place bank April 18, 2011.
Munley sentenced Justin A. Smith, 21, and Quamaine I. Smith-Tisdale, 23, both of Reading, on Sept. 18 to spend six years and five years, respectively, in a federal correctional institution for their roles in the robbery.
A federal grand jury indicted the three men Oct. 11, 2011, alleging they robbed Union Bank & Trust of $64,147.
"The defendants and/or their co-conspirators brandished a firearm and put in jeopardy the lives of the (bank) employees," the indictment reads in part.
Smith-Tisdale drove the car, a red 2010 Dodge Avenger, while Smith and Velez put bandanas over their faces and entered the bank, according to the grand jury.
"(Velez) pointed a firearm at bank employees while (Smith) demanded to know where the bank vault was located," the indictment reads in part.
Employees put the money in black plastic bags, which Smith and Velez, after trying to remove the bank's video surveillance system, took to the car. Smith-Tisdale then drove away, the grand jury alleged.
Police said they spotted the trio's car at Route 61 near Cabela Drive in Tilden Township, Berks County, just outside Hamburg, shortly after the robbery and pursued the trio west on Interstate 78. Police said the chase reached more than 100 mph on I-78 and that the suspects drove erratically, passing vehicles on the southern and northern berms of the highway, before the car came to a stop on the northern berm of I-78 at mile marker 20 in Upper Tulpehocken Township, Berks County, between Shartlesville and Strausstown, where the three men were arrested without incident.
Smith-Tisdale was the getaway car driver, Smith had a vest of body armor and Velez had the gun, a Bersa Thunder .380-caliber silver handgun that was found in the car, according to police.
Smith and Smith-Tisdale each pleaded guilty June 19 to aiding and abetting an armed bank robbery.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O'Hara prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Pennsylvania State Police.
Since the robbery, Union Bank & Trust has moved to a temporary office on Route 61, less than a mile south of its previous location, while Riverview Bank opened an office June 4 in the 300 Pinebrook Place building.Defendant: Orlando L. Velez Jr
Age: 24
Residence: Reading
Crime committed: Aiding and abetting an armed bank robbery
Prison sentence: Seven years in a federal correctional institution