The suspect behind four Queens bank heists late last year was booked on a federal indictment this week.
Glendale’s Justin Gass, 39, faces five bank robbery counts; authorities arrested him last December, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
According to the charges, Gass allegedly robbed four bank branches in Queens, and another in Brooklyn, between mid-August and late September 2018. In each of the capers, police said, he presented a demand note to the teller, then received undisclosed sum of money.
Federal authorities said the pattern began on Aug. 17, 2018, when Gass allegedly visited and robbed cash from the Valley National Bank located at 64-01 Grand Ave. in Maspeth.
About three weeks later, law enforcement sources noted, the suspect swiped currency from the Alma Bank located at 41-02 Broadway in Astoria on the morning of Sept. 8. Six days later, on Sept. 14, he robbed the Chase bank located at 47-11 Queens Blvd. in Sunnyside.
During the Sunnyside caper, cops said, Gass allegedly passed a demand note to the teller, then made a motion to his waistband indicating that he had a gun.
Federal agents said Gass struck a fourth time on Sept. 24, robbing a Chase bank at 37-15 82nd St. in Jackson Heights. Four days later, he allegedly held up an Apple Bank branch on Lee Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
The New York Daily News reported that Gass had been paroled last June after serving 13 months of a state prison sentence for grand larceny and forgery.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Gass is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 24 on the bank robbery indictment.
This story was updated on Jan. 21 at 11:15 a.m.
