Union County Man Arrested For Bank Robbery

ELIZABETH, NJ — A Union County man has been arrested for robbing a bank in Little Ferry in January, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.

Israel Cosme, 36, of Elizabeth is charged with one count of bank robbery. He was originally arrested on Jan. 24 in connection with two bank robberies he allegedly committed in Maryland.

He appeared Thursday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and was detained.

On Jan. 15, a man — later identified as Cosme — wearing blue jeans, tan work boots, a gray hooded sweatshirt and a knit cap entered the TD Bank in Little Ferry, according to bank employees and video surveillance.

The robber, Cosme, approached one of the bank tellers and handed her a note demanding money. The robber then told the bank teller that he was carrying a weapon in his pocket and that he would shoot her if she did not comply with his demands. He then reached over the counter, grabbed the teller by the shirt, and forcibly grabbed money out of her hand, according to documents filed in this case and statements made in court.

Cosme was arrested outside of a hotel room in Maryland. Inside his hotel room authorities found a pair of blue jeans and a gray hooded sweatshirt that resembled the clothing he was wearing during the robbery, according to the release.

Cosme could face a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the bank robbery charge.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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