Brothers Re-Sentenced To 360 Months For Two Armed Bank Robberies And Conspiracy To Commit Armed Robbery

NEWARK, N.J. - Two brothers were re-sentenced to 360 months for committing two armed bank robberies and conspiring to commit a third armed robbery of an armored car in 1997-1998, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Charles Rodriguez, 58, of New Jersey and Joseph Rodriguez, 57, of New Jersey were originally convicted by a jury after an approximately six week trial in 1999 for conspiracy to commit two bank robberies and attempted robbery of an armored car, the two bank robberies, using firearms during the bank robberies, carjacking, an attempted robbery of an armored car, using firearms in relation to the attempted robbery of an armored car, and being felons in possession of firearms. Charles and Joseph Rodriguez were originally sentenced on March 30, 2000 to life sentences.

Based on a challenge to the sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 2255, Judge Claire C. Cecchi dismissed one of the counts, Count Eight, for using firearms in relation to the attempted robbery of an armored car, due to intervening changes in the law. Therefore, Charles and Joseph Rodriguez were re-sentenced on the remaining counts.

On July 19, 1997, four armed men-including Charles and Joseph Rodriguez-wearing masks and body armor and heavily armed with rifles and a handgun robbed the Corestates Bank branch in Woodlynne, New Jersey, terrorizing numerous civilian victims. The robbers hit multiple victims with the stock of their rifles, pointed firearms at victims' faces, and threatened the kill them. After completing the robbery, the robbers got into a stolen vehicle and drove to an empty parking lot. There, they abandoned the vehicle, set it on fire, and switched to a second stolen vehicle. The robbers stole $64,039 from the bank.

On May 23, 1998, three armed men-including Charles and Joseph Rodriguez- wearing masks and tactical gear robbed the Commerce Bank branch in Moorestown, New Jersey. Arriving shortly before the bank opened for business, the robbers shot out the plate glass entrance doors, pointed their firearms at victims, and threatened to shoot them. The robbers also fired three shots into the ceiling of the bank and six shots at a plexiglass door in front of a vault. After the robbery, the robbers first attempted to flee on a stolen vehicle. When the stolen vehicle stalled, they demanded the car keys of a bank employee at gun point. They stole the employee's car and drove a short distance before switching to another vehicle. The robbers stole $15,373 from the bank.

On September 1, 1998, Charles and Joseph Rodriguez, along with a co-defendant, Jose Soto, attempted to rob an armored car at the Walt Whitman rest stop on the New Jersey Turnpike in Cherry Hill. When the defendants arrived at the rest stop, they were dressed in tactical gear, including bullet proof vests, and were carrying numerous firearms, including two machine guns. In total, they brought approximately 1,000 rounds of ammunition to the intended robbery. Due to law enforcement intervention, Charles and Joseph Rodriguez were prevented from committing the intended robbery.

On November 18, 2022, Judge Cecchi sentenced Jose Soto to time served-approximately 289 months- for charges connected to the attempted robbery of an armored car. He was acquitted of the two bank robberies.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the assistance leading to the re- sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clara Kim of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark and Norman Gross of the Camden Office.