West New York, New Jersey Man Convicted of Armed Bank Robbery

TRENTON, NJ—A federal jury in Trenton convicted a West New York, N.J., man today for robbing a TD Bank branch in Weehawken, N.J., on May 31, 2011, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Maximo Castro, a/k/a “Carl Worthington,” 31, was convicted of both counts of the indictment on which he was tried: armed bank robbery and possession of a firearm in furtherance of the bank robbery.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

Castro entered the TD Bank branch wearing a hat and sunglasses and carrying a gold-plated handgun. He then announced that he was robbing the bank, threw a black bag at the tellers and demanded that they hand over the bank’s money. Castro also stole money from bank customers and ordered everyone in the bank to the ground before leaving the bank.

At sentencing, Castro faces a maximum potential penalty of 25 years in prison on the bank robbery charge and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of life in prison on the firearm charge. Both counts also carry a maximum $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is currently scheduled for April 5, 2012.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fabiana Pierre-Louis and Acting Deputy Criminal Division Chief Serina Vash of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents and task force officers of the FBI’s Newark Violent Crime Squad, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward, as well as officers from the Weehawken Township Police Department for their invaluable work during the investigation and trial.

Defense counsel:
Assistant Federal Public Defenders Lisa Mack Esq., Newark; David Schafer Esq., Trenton