A trio accused of conspiring to commit bank robberies all over the Bay Area have been charged for their alleged crimes, according to a federal indictment that was unsealed this week.
Dontae Jones, Jr., 20, and Yasmin Millett, 21, both from Northern California with no fixed address, and JoMya Mauriyne Futch, 21, of Richmond, were all charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery, according to U.S. Attorney Phillip Talbert.
Futch was additionally charged with one count of perjury.
Jones and Millet are accused of conspiring to commit bank robberies in Sacramento, Vallejo, Suisun City, Benicia, Concord and Antioch. Prosecutors said the pair recruited Futch to carry out the heists.
The defendants allegedly drove to bank and credit union branches, entered them with threatening notes demanding money, took cash, and exited the banks to a waiting getaway car, prosecutors said.
Generally, the notes would instruct the bank employees to provide money or “I will kill everyone in here.”
On at least one occasion, a woman was allegedly held at gunpoint and forced to commit a robbery by Jones and Millett against her will. Jones and Millett are also accused of using a minor in an attempted robbery.
After each successful robbery, they distributed the stolen money amongst themselves, prosecutors allege.
According to the indictments unsealed Wednesday, Jones and Millett actively sought and groomed recruits to act as the note passers. Millett advertised the conspiracy on Instagram with videos and photographs of herself and other participants holding large amounts of cash. Jones and Millett sometimes directed recruits to wear dark sunglasses during the robberies to conceal their identities and carry purses in order to carry the stolen money away from the banks and credit unions.
Futch is accused of committing at least two bank robberies. She is additionally charged with perjury for allegedly making false statements under oath when she appeared as a witness in August.
If convicted of conspiracy to commit bank robbery, the defendants face a maximum of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The bank robbery counts carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
Futch is facing up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine if she is convicted of perjury, prosecutors said.
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