A man accused of robbing two banks and a convenience store in Fall River — including one bank robbery in New Bedford — will probably not be released from jail anytime soon.
On Thursday, a judge revoked bail that John Munoz, 32, had on two open criminal cases in Fall River District Court, which means that he will be detained without bail until July 8, 2013.
“I couldn’t really imagine a more compelling case for the revocation of bail,” said Judge Robert Welsh III, who also set $100,000 cash bail for each of the three robberies that Munoz was arraigned on Thursday.
Munoz, who has a lengthy criminal record in Massachusetts, Florida and New York, will continue to be held on $300,000 cash bail after his bail revocation ends on July 8.
Munoz was at-large, wanted on arrest warrants in Massachusetts, and living in Bronx, NY, when he turned himself in two weeks ago to authorities there. He was brought back late Wednesday to Fall River to be booked on his charges here.
Fall River police say Munoz is the man who robbed Bay Coast Bank, 1485 Pleasant Street, on March 25, 2013; the Shell gas station, 815 New Boston Road, on March 26, 2013; and Bay Coast Bank, 335 Stafford Road, on March 28, 2013.
The suspect did not brandish a weapon in the bank robberies. He passed notes to the tellers, demanding money, in large denominations, with no dye packs, and warning that he would not harm the tellers if they followed his instructions and did not call the police until after he left, police said.
In the gas station robbery, police said the suspect put his arm around the clerk’s neck, pointed the knife at her and ordered her to open the cash register. The assailant stole money, cigarettes and lottery tickets, and ordered the clerk to lie on the floor before he fled the store on foot. He then cashed the lottery tickets at a different convenience store, prosecutors said.
Victims identified Munoz as the suspect after spotting his picture in photo arrays.
Defense attorney Kenneth Fredette said Munoz has been “candid” in regards to the bank robberies, but said he denied robbing the Shell gas station. Fredette said there were physical discrepancies between Munoz and the suspect who robbed the gas station.
Meanwhile, prosecutors said investigators have also linked Munoz to robberies in New Bedford and Pawtucket, RI.
In New Bedford, Munoz is accused of robbing a Webster Bank on Rockdale Avenue, where he allegedly passed a note to a teller on April 1. That same day, Munoz also allegedly tried robbing a Bank of America branch on Acushnet Avenue, but he fled the bank without any cash when the teller stepped away from the counter, police said.
Prosecutors said Munoz has a 45-page out-of-state criminal record that includes prior convictions for drugs, burglary and larceny. He also has a three-page criminal record in Massachusetts that includes defaults for skipping court dates, prosecutors said.
In Fall River, Munoz is charged with two counts of unarmed robbery, one count of armed robbery, as well as kidnapping and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He is scheduled to return to Fall River District Court June 6 for a probable cause hearing.