An Ohio man who was out on bail for allegedly committing a bank robbery in the Chicago area has been charged in New Jersey with seven bank robberies or attempted bank robberies, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Tyler O’Toole, 23, of Cleveland, was arrested in Queens, N.Y., on Nov. 14. He was charged by complaint sworn out in the District of New Jersey on Nov. 4, with five counts of bank robbery and two counts of attempted bank robbery.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

O’Toole was arrested in Glenview, Ill., on Aug. 20, and charged in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois with bank robbery. O’Toole was released on bail and placed on home detention with electronic location monitoring. 

On Sept. 24, O’Toole allegedly removed his monitoring device, stole his mother’s blue 2018 Hyundai Elantra, and drove away. He later robbed, or attempted to rob, banks in the following New Jersey cities:

• Oct. 8: Morris Plains and Pompton Plains;

• Oct. 22: Aberdeen and East Windsor;

• Oct. 27: Lawrence Township and Mount Holly; and

• Oct. 30: Runnemede.

At each bank, O’Toole allegedly presented a note demanding cash from bank tellers. For example, during the Oct. 27 alleged robbery of a bank in Lawrence Township, O’Toole allegedly handed the teller a manila envelope which stated:

• This is a robbery. Comply and Nobody gets hurt.
• Give me 20’s 50’s 100’s
• NO Trackers or Ink Packs
• Put Money in THIS Envelope
• Be fast, Act Normal.

Each bank robbery or attempted bank robbery charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI’s Violent Crimes/Interstate Theft Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the FBI’s Westchester, County, New York Safe Streets Task Force; the Camden County, Monmouth County and Morris County prosecutor’s offices; and the Morris Plains Boro, Pompton Plains, Aberdeen Township, East Windsor Township, Lawrence Township, Mount Holly Township, Runnemede Borough, Medford and Gloucester Township police departments for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan W. Romankow of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.

The charges and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.