Convicted Bank Robber Faces Life in Prison

Monmouth County Acting Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced on Tuesday that 44-year-old Edgar Torres of Howell was convicted on several charges stemming from bank robberies in 2010 and 2011. 

Torres was convicted on Nov. 9 of three counts of armed robbery and three counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose for robbing the Provident Bank in town in December of 2010, the Chase Bank in January of 2011 and the Chase Bank in Ocean Township in February of 2011. 

According to a press release from the Prosecutor's office Torres "took steps to conceal his identity," during each robbery and would display a handgun and demand money after approaching one of the bank's tellers. He was arrested after a joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the Howell and Ocean Township Police Departments. 

Torres will be sentenced on Jan. 25, 2013. The press release said he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for each count of armed robbery and a maximum sentence of 10 years for each weapons charge. The armed robbery counts are also subject to the No Early Release Act meaning Torres will have to serve 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole. 

The possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose counts are also subject to the Graves act according to the press release. The sentences for these counts "will include the imposition of a period of parole ineligibility of between one third and one half of the total sentence, or three years, whichever is greater."

Assistant Prosecutors Margaret Koping and Maria Franceschini prosecuted the case while Torres was represented by Michael DeBlis of Freehold.