Bank Robbery Couple Who Brought Child to “Work” Captured by FBI and Police

Atlantic City, NJ—FBI Special Agent In Charge Weysan Dun is pleased to announce the capture of Jerell Mulkey, age 24, of Atlantic City, New Jersey, who is wanted in connection with three bank robberies in each of three towns: Absecon, Lawrenceville, and Hammonton. Also charged and arrested was Mulkey’s accomplice, Chade Harris, age 22, of Trenton, New Jersey.

Mulkey was arrested without incident by Houston FBI agents and detectives from the Houston Bank Robbery Task Force late in the evening of Monday, April 27, 2009, in an apartment complex in Houston, Texas. This occurred after agents in New Jersey developed information that Mulkey had traveled to Houston. When New Jersey FBI agents notified the FBI agents in Texas, the Houston agents quickly realized Mulkey may have also been responsible for three bank robberies there over the last few months. 

The first robbery in question occurred on Friday, February 27, 2009, at approximately 6:26 p.m. at the PNC Bank, 728 White Horse Pike, Absecon, New Jersey. It was determined that a lone black male entered the bank, presented a demand note to the teller, threatened he had a gun, and left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money. The Absecon Police Department and FBI responded. According to the criminal complaint, the robber was later identified as Mulkey.

On Monday, April 6, 2009 at approximately 11:56 a.m., the PNC Bank located at 138 Franklin Corner Road, Lawrenceville, New Jersey was robbed. The circumstances of this robbery were very similar to the Absecon robbery: a lone black male entered the bank, presented the teller with a demand note, and threatened the use of a gun. But based on the criminal complaint, investigators also determined that a black female may have entered the bank approximately one hour prior to the robbery and obtained a blue withdrawal slip—allegedly the same blue withdrawal slip Mulkey used to compose his demand note. 

The criminal complaint also details additional events involving this same black female. Allegedly on April 6, 2009, shortly after 3:00 p.m., a lone black female entered the Sun bank on Route 33 in Hamilton, New Jersey and inquired about opening an account. Bank employees claimed she appeared nervous and did not have any identification. The woman returned to the same Sun Bank on April 7 again to inquire about opening account. When she left, a bank employee noted her license tag and vehicle type: a silver-grey Ford Focus. According to the complaint, a review of video security footage determined that the woman in question at the Sun Bank was the same woman who entered the PNC Bank in Lawrenceville approximately 50 minutes prior to bank robbery at 11:56 on April 6, 2009. Lawrenceville Township Police determined the driver of silver-grey Ford Focus was allegedly Chade Harris of Trenton, New Jersey.

On Friday, April 10, 2009, at approximately 5:30 p.m., the Bank of America located at 209 Bellvue Avenue, Hammonton, New Jersey, was robbed in the same fashion as the two PNC Bank robberies: a lone black male entered the bank, presented the teller with a demand note, and threatened the use of a gun. At the conclusion of the robbery, the robber was allegedly seen entering the passenger side front seat of a silver-grey four door vehicle being driven by a black female. That vehicle was later identified as the Ford Focus registered to Chade Harris.

Once Lawrenceville Township Police and the FBI approached Harris at her residence in Trenton, New Jersey, on April 15, 2009, they allegedly were able to confirm her involvement in both the Lawrenceville Township and Hammonton, New Jersey robberies and took her into custody. State robbery and child endangerment charges were filed against Harris by the Lawrence Township Police Department for Harris’ role in and having her child in the car during the Lawrence Township robbery. (Mulkey has no relation to the child.) On April 16, Mulkey and Harris were officially charged with two counts each of the federal crime of bank robbery for the Lawrence and Hammonton robberies. Harris was already in custody at that time; Mulkey was a fugitive and a federal warrant for his arrest was issued. 

“This is an excellent example of what cooperation in law enforcement can achieve,” said Weysan Dun. “Not only was there teamwork among the various New Jersey law enforcement agencies, but also interstate cooperation between local police agencies and FBI offices in Texas and New Jersey. Though Mulkey tried to run, he didn’t have a prayer for escape. I commend the Lawrence Township, Hammonton, Atlantic City, Egg Harbor Township, and Absecon Police departments in New Jersey, as well as the agents and detectives from the Houston FBI Bank Robbery Task Force for joining forces with our own FBI agents in Trenton and Atlantic City for pulling this whole case together. Though there may be many miles between us, the law enforcement net closes in pretty fast on criminals when agencies work together.”

Mulkey is now in custody in Texas and scheduled for an initial appearance before a Federal Magistrate in Houston today, April 29. Mulkey is potentially facing additional federal charges for the robberies in Texas, as well as the Absecon robbery. Harris will have an initial appearance before Honorable Ann Marie Donio, United States Magistrate Judge in the District of New Jersey in Camden at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2009. A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Stigall in the District of New Jersey.