2 Charged In Armed Robbery Where Gun Brandisher Died

OSSINING, NY — Two men accused of trying to cover up an armed robbery in December — in which one of their alleged partners-in-crime died — face federal charges, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York said Tuesday.

Damian Williams, along with Michael J. Driscoll, assistant director-in-charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Kevin Sylvester, chief of the Village of Ossining Police Department, announced the unsealing of a four‑count indictment charging Matthew Dusablon, a/k/a “Mateo,” a/k/a “Murk,” and Jahaira Mejia with robbery and obstruction of justice.

The two Bronx residents were arrested Monday and presented before United States Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court.

"Our community has waited patiently for resolution of this case and I’m relieved that we can now share the results of law enforcement professionals at the federal, state, and local levels all working seamlessly to restore our neighbors’ sense of peace and security," Sylvester said Tuesday.

Prosecutors alleged that on Dec. 6, Dusablon, Mejia and at least three other people committed a gunpoint robbery in Ossining, during which one of them brandished a gun. They said the person with the gun died from injuries sustained during the robbery victim’s flight.

To cover their tracks, prosecutors said, Dusablon and Mejia then hid a jacket that another co-conspirator had worn during the robbery and deleted information from their cell phones and social media accounts.

Dusablon also directed a co-conspirator to erase information from their cellphone and social media accounts in order to obstruct the federal investigation, prosecutors said.

"As alleged in the Indictment, the defendants participated in a gunpoint robbery that resulted in the death of a co-conspirator and then worked to cover their tracks," Williams said. "Thanks to the extraordinary and tenacious work of our partners at the FBI and the Ossining Police Department, the defendants are now facing federal charges for their alleged crimes."

Dusablon, 27, and Mejia, 35, both of the Bronx, are each charged with Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy and Hobbs Act robbery; a related firearms offense; and obstruction of justice. Counts One, Two, and Four each carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison. Count Three carries a maximum term of life in prison and a mandatory minimum term of seven years in prison that must run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

"As if the robbery at the center of this case wasn’t bad enough, the suspects allegedly decided to take it a step further and obstruct law enforcement’s ability to investigate it. They failed at both," said Driscoll. "Now, thanks to the outstanding work of the FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and our many partners, the suspects we arrested will serve as cautionary examples to others – trying to cover up your crimes only leads to more criminal charges.”

Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the OPD and the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, which comprises Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the FBI, U.S. Probation, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the New York City Police Department, Westchester County Police Department, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, and the Yonkers, Mount Vernon, White Plains, New Rochelle, Peekskill, Greenburgh, Clarkstown, and Ramapo Police Departments.

The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Gianforti is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.