2 More Plead Guilty In 2022 Martha's Vineyard Bank Robbery Case

BOSTON, MA — Two people have pleaded guilty in connection with the Nov. 17, 2022 armed bank robbery of the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury, Mass.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts recently announced that Andre Clayton, 22, of New Haven, Conn., and Miquel Antonio Jones, 33, of Edgartown, pleaded guilty for their involvement in the robbery.

Jones pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, and one count of armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting. Clayton pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting bank robbery.

Previously, Omar Johnson and Tevin Porter also pleaded guilty to their roles in the robbery. All four men are awaiting sentencing.

According to charging documents, three men entered the bank on Nov. 17 all wearing masks and dark clothing. According to witnesses, the men were allegedly carrying what appeared to be semi-automatic handguns.

Previously, the District Attorney's Office released an arraignment report which stated that employees were bound by duct tape and plastic restraints, officials said. After leaving the bank, the three suspects fled the scene in a car they took from one of the employees, officials noted.

Charging documents reveal that one of the suspects allegedly held a gun to the head of one of the bank employees and forced him to open the bank’s vault, taking nearly $40,000, officials said.
According to the charging documents, following an investigation by law enforcement, Jones and Johnson were identified as suspects.

It is alleged that subsequent searches by law enforcement resulted in the recovery of three $100 bills and clothing consistent with the individuals in Jones’ car; a black handgun from Johnson’s home; and paperwork reflecting both a money transfer to Jamaica in the approximate amount of $700 and cash deposits in the amount of $4,100 made at a bank in Connecticut in Johnson’s car.

Read more: Bank Employees Were Bound During Martha's Vineyard Armed Robbery: DA

During a search of the Tisbury farm used by a local landscaping company that employs Jones, a glove, paper money band, zip tie and multiple rubber bands were recovered. These items are consistent with the bank robbery, officials said.

Investigators also observed an area that appeared to have had a recent fire, and found burned pieces of nylon, white metal plastic consistent with a white mask, burned walkie-talkie pieces, an antennae, batteries and pieces of metal consistent with a duffle bag zipper.

Within a few feet of the burned area, two semi-automatic handguns loaded with 9mm ammunition were discovered buried inches under the ground. These items, including the handguns, were consistent with items possessed by the robbers during the robbery of the Rockland Trust bank, officials said.

As for Clayton's role in the scheme, surveillance video obtained from the Steamship Authority ferry terminal in Vineyard Haven shows Clayton arriving to the terminal around 40 minutes after the robbery, officials said.

Clayton parked a silver sedan in the lot near the terminal, where he purchased tickets and boarded a ferry at 9:21 a.m., officials said. Then, around 30 minutes later, officials say the video shows Johnson arriving at the parking lot and getting into the driver's seat of the sedan.