Hopewell Man Admits Role in Three Southern New Jersey Bank Robberies

CAMDEN—A Hopewell, Cumberland County, man pleaded guilty today to a one-count Information that charges him with bank robbery, admitting his role in planning and committing of three bank robberies in southern New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Dustin Corney, 32, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to one count of bank robbery specifically for the April 18, 2009, robbery of a Sun National Bank branch in Vineland of approximately $8,957. Corney, however, also admitted his role in two additional bank robberies, and all of the conduct will be taken into consideration at sentencing. Judge Kugler continued the defendant’s detention and scheduled sentencing for Jan 28.

At his plea hearing, Corney admitted that on April 18, 2009, he along with Howard Hiles, 34, of Carney's Point, and Hiles’s girlfriend, Jenny Hedden, 30, of Carney's Point, planned to rob a bank. As part of their plan, Corney admitted that Hedden wrote a demand note that said something to the effect of “This is a robbery. Put all the money in the bag.” Corney admitted that he and Hiles then left Hedden’s residence in her car and drove to a Sun National Bank branch in Vineland. Corney admitted that he went into the bank, wearing a motorcycle helmet, and passed the demand note to a teller, who in return gave him money from the teller’s draw, he admitted. The two men then returned to Hedden’s residence and dumped out a pile of money onto a table, Corney admitted. Corney admitted that they all took some of the proceeds of the bank robbery and bought heroin.

In addition to the April 18 bank robbery, Corney admitted committing the following bank robberies:

• May 11, 2009, along with Corney robbed the TD Bank in Gloucester Township, of $385;
• May 11, 2009, along with Hedden and Corney robbed the Ocean City Home Bank in Marmora, of $1,668.

Hiles pleaded guilty before Judge Kugler on Aug. 14 to one count of bank robbery also specifically for the April 18, 2009, robbery of the Sun National Bank branch in Vineland. Hiles also admitted committing the aforementioned bank robberies along with the following two bank robberies;

• May 4, 2009, along with Hedden robbed the Harvest Community Bank in Pennsville, of approximately $1,500;
• May 18, 2009, along with Hedden, robbed of the Newfield Bank in Hopewell Township, of $1,685.

Hiles is scheduled to be sentencing on Nov. 19. Hedden pleaded before Judge Kugler to one count of bank robbery on Aug. 3 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 12. All three defendants were arrested at different locations on May 18.

The charge of bank robbery carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the aggregate loss to the victims or gain to the defendants.

In determining an actual sentence, Judge Kugler will consult the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges that take into account the severity and characteristics of the offense, the defendant's criminal history, if any, and other factors. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.

Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.

Fishman credited Special Agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency and South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dun in Newark, and Special Agent in Charge Janice K. Fedarcyk in Philadelphia, respectively. Fishman also thanked Trooper with the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Joseph R. Fuentes, Superintendent, along with the Police Departments of Pennsville, Gloucester Township and Vineland, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Richardson of the Criminal Division in Camden.

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