Essex County Man Robbed 5 N.J. Banks, Prosecutors Allege

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Federal prosecutors have charged a Newark man with robbing five banks in Essex and Hudson Counties this year, authorities say.

On Tuesday, prosecutors charged 39-year-old Jermaine Mason, a/k/a “Asim Harris,” with robbing the following New Jersey banks:

• Kearny Bank, Harrison, Oct. 21
• PNC Bank, Jersey City, Nov. 3
• Popular Community Bank, Newark, Nov. 17
• Provident Bank, Jersey City, Nov. 18
• Provident Bank, Kearny, Nov. 29

Prosecutors said that during each robbery, Mason allegedly presented a note that demanded cash from bank tellers or verbally demanded money.

According to prosecutors, during the Nov. 3 robbery in Jersey City, Mason allegedly handed the teller a note which read: “I’m not going play [sic] with you. You get one chance. $100 [and] $50 bills pass to me – stack!”

During the Nov. 17 robbery in Newark, Mason handed the teller a note reading: “Hand me the money. $100 bills or we [are] going [to] have a problem!”

Jersey City Police Department officers, and agents from the FBI and the U.S Marshals apprehended Mason on Nov. 30.

Each bank robbery charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, prosecutors said. Mason’s initial court appearance will be scheduled at a later date.

Prior to his arrest, Mason was on federal supervised release for a federal bank robbery conviction after he robbed several banks in 2006 and 2007, prosecutors stated.

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