NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A serial bank robber on parole for less than a month grabbed an 81-year-old Queens bank customer's neck and threatened to kill her if he didn't get cash, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
Gerald Derosse, 54, admitted in Brooklyn Federal Court Wednesday that he was "guilty" and said he robbed the Ridgewood Savings Bank on April 6 "in desperation" because he couldn't get a job after his release.
Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo said she couldn't get past how quickly he was willing to revert to his old tactics, the Daily News reported.
"I don't know what's going to stop him from doing this again to another elderly person," she said.
Derosse, who has a criminal record dating back to his teenage years and served five state prison terms, was released on parole on March 9 and was living with his sister when he fell back into his old ways, federal prosecutors said.
He walked into the bank on Myrtle Avenue and 65th Street in Glendale just after 11:30 a.m. and approached the victim, who was doing business at a teller’s window, authorities said.
Derosse put his arm around her neck and placed her in a chokehold, then announced to the teller he would "blow her f---ing brains out" if he didn’t get cash. He got away with $205 in cash, and the next day, police released his photo and video of the heist.
EMS treated the woman, who suffered minor injuries, at the scene. She refused further medical attention.
Derosse's parole officer recognized him from a surveillance photo, and he was arrested when he arrived at his next parole meeting on Tuesday, according to the report.
He was convicted of multiple bank robberies in 2011 — when he was still on parole in an earlier robbery case — and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
"This is now the second time the defendant has been on parole and committed a robbery," Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Schuman said.
His lawyer, Nora Hirozawa of the Federal Defenders, called the case "quite sad and a notable failing of our criminal justice system."
Derosse was trained in flooring and food preparation but has yet to find work and was not even given a two-way MetroCard to get to interviews, she added.
"In a moment of desperation, he made a terrible mistake," Hirozawa said. "Mr. Derosse would like the court to know he would never hurt anyone and he would never blow any elderly person's brains out."
Despite Hirozawa's plea for a $100,000 bond backed by his sister, with location monitoring and house confinement, Kuo ordered him held without bail.
"Mr. Derosse, I want you to succeed, I do ... I just can’t feel confident given the circumstances," the judge said, adding: "There are no conditions of release that will ensure the safety of the community."
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