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2nd Bank Robber Arrested
Alleged Getaway Driver Caught in Cooperative Dragnet
Readington, N.J. - New Jersey State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s and Sheriff’s Offices and the Union Twp. Police Department partnered to solve a rash of recent bank robberies. At 7:40 a.m. today, the agencies converged on and arrested a second suspect in connection with the robbery of the Yardville National Bank in Ringoes, N.J. Sean Desa, 20, of Readington, N.J., was picked up at his father’s residence on Hoagland Rd. in Readington and arrested on a federal warrant charging him with bank robbery and conspiracy.
On July 5th, 2007, Desa is alleged to have entered the bank and presented a hand-written note demanding cash and ordering that no alarms be activated. The note indicated he was armed although no weapon was shown. Desa fled with more than $5,000 in cash.
The alleged getaway driver from that robbery, Jay Fleshman, 30, of Raritan was arrested on July 20th and remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals. A witness recognized Fleshman from a surveillance photo disseminated on a trac flyer and contacted the Hunterdon County Sheriff’s Office. Since his arrest, Fleshman has been connected to and charged with a total of three bank robberies including:
April 4th, 2007 – Commerce Bank, Springfield Twp., Union County
April 6th, 2007 – Advanced Financial Credit Union, New Providence, Union County
July 5th, 2007 – Yardville National Bank, Ringoes, Hunterdon County
The investigative team is also looking into whether the suspects might be connected to two other area robberies.
Desa was turned over to the FBI Newark for processing and is now in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Both Desa and Fleshman are being held without bail.
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