M&T Bank Robbery, Syracuse, March 4
/ File photo
SYRACUSE -- Two local men are suspected of robbing numerous banks across Central New York and Massachusetts. Court documents indicate the suspects told investigators they would use the money at Turning Stone Casino in Verona.
21-year-old Zachariah Edwards, of Frankfort, surrendered himself to authorities in Utica on March 8. He is charged with taking $3,400 from the M&T Bank on West Taft Road in Syracuse on March 4. 21-year-old Nicholas Ferrone, of Utica, surrendered himself to authorities in Syracuse. He is charged with taking $4,409 from the Chase Bank on East Genesee Street in DeWitt on January 28.
The two man are suspected of acting together and robbing several other banks including the Chase Bank on Court Street in Syracuse on January 14, the Berkshire Bank in Guilderland near Albany on January 23, the Trustco Bank in Guilderland on February 13 and the Bank of America in Chicopee, Massachusetts on February 25. The men allegedly made off with $10,000 in the Massachusetts robbery. Ferrone is also accused of robbing the Alliance Bank on Genesee Street in Oneida on January 3.
After allegedly robbing an Alliance Bank in Oneida on January 3, investigators say Nicholas Ferrone went to his friend Zachariah Edwards and told him how easy it was to rob banks. That's when Edwards started joining Ferrone.
According to court documents, the men used a Cadillac Escalade as the getaway car in the robberies. It was registered to Ferrone's mother who lives in Utica. Investigators say they wore the same outfits for most of the robberies. One wore a black jacket and a ski cap. The other wore a black jacket and a black baseball cap with the letter "P" on it. They would then allegedly stash the clothes in the Cadillac until the next robbery.
Investigator Tom Regan of the Dewitt Police Department is credited with generating information that led to the arrest of both men.
Both men appeared in federal court and were ordered held without bail. They are scheduled to appear in court for detention hearings on Wednesday. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count.
Several agencies were involved in the investigation including Dewitt Police, New York State Police, Guilderland Police, Oneida Police, Onondaga County Sheriff's deputies, Chicopee, Massachusetts Police, Schenectady Police and the FBI.
