Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that four defendants have pled guilty to participating in two bank burglaries. In April and May 2016, MICHAEL MAZZARA, CHARLES KERRIGAN, and ANTHONY MASCUZZIO, assisted by CHRISTOPHER KERRIGAN, stole more than $5 million in cash, jewelry, collectables, and other valuables from the banks’ vaults and safe deposit boxes.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Like a scene from a movie, these defendants used blow torches to cut into bank roofs, and subsequently vaults and safe deposit boxes, to steal more than $5 million in cash and customer valuables. But the scene in court today was of guilty pleas under oath and the prospect of real-life prison.”
According to the Complaint and Indictments filed in Manhattan federal court, as well as previous court filings and statements made in public court proceedings:
In April and May 2016, MAZZARA, CHARLES KERRIGAN, MASCUZZIO, and CHRISTOPHER KERRIGAN formed a crew that burglarized banks in Brooklyn and Queens, New York, by cutting into the banks’ vaults and the safe deposit boxes inside. Specifically, from about April 8 to April 10, 2016, MAZZARA, CHARLES KERRIGAN, and MASCUZZIO, with the assistance of CHRISTOPHER KERRIGAN, burglarized an HSBC Bank branch in Brooklyn, and from about May 19 to May 22, 2016, MAZZARA, CHARLES KERRIGAN, and MASCUZZIO, with the assistance of CHRISTOPHER KERRIGAN, burglarized a Maspeth Federal Savings Bank branch in Queens. On both occasions, the burglars used acetylene blowtorches to cut into the top of the banks’ vaults from the roof of the building. At the Maspeth Federal Savings Bank branch, they shielded their activities from view by constructing a plywood shed on the roof of the bank. The burglars then entered the vaults from above and took cash belonging to the bank and broke open customers’ safe deposit boxes, stealing the valuables inside. In total, the crew obtained more than $600,000 in cash and more than $4.3 million in valuables from both banks. Surveillance footage captured some of the burglars’ activities as they prepared for and executed the burglaries. Financial records and video surveillance also showed MAZZARA and MASCUZZIO purchasing some of the supplies that appear to have been used in the Maspeth burglary.
MAZZARA, 45, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty before Hon. Katherine B. Forrest on December 13, 2017, to two counts of bank theft, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. MAZZARA will be sentenced by Judge Forrest on April 13, 2017.
CHARLES KERRIGAN, 42, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty before Judge Forrest on December 11, 2017, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and bank theft, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, two counts of bank burglary, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and two counts of bank theft, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. CHARLES KERRIGAN also pled guilty to one count of witness retaliation while on pre-trial release, in connection with his assault of an individual who he believed had provided information regarding the burglaries to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”). That count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a mandatory consecutive term of 10 years in prison. CHARLES KERRIGAN will be sentenced by Judge Forrest on April 6, 2017.
MASCUZZIO, 38, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty before Judge Forrest on December 15, 2017, to two counts of bank theft, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. MASCUZZIO will be sentenced by Judge Forrest on May 4, 2018.
CHRISTOPHER KERRIGAN, 40, of Staten Island, New York, pled guilty before Judge Forrest on November 9, 2017, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and bank theft, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, one count of bank burglary, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of bank theft, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. CHRISTOPHER KERRIGAN will be sentenced by Judge Forrest on March 30, 2018.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative efforts of the FBI and NYPD.
If you believe you were a victim of this crime, including a victim entitled to restitution, and you wish to provide information to law enforcement and/or receive notice of future developments in the case or additional information, please contact the Victim/Witness Unit at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, at (866) 874-8900. For additional information, go to: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nys/victimwitness.html.
