A New York man admitted his role in the armed robbery of Hawthorne NJ bar. However, he was not charged in a related carjacking in Paterson, New Jersey.

The suspect is a 22-year-old man from New City, New York. He was accused of being the driver of the getaway vehicle used by a group of men who robbed RD Benders Tavern, a bar located in Hawthorne, on Christmas Day 2015.

The men reportedly held up the Hawthorne tavern by using a firearm to force a worker to give them roughly $200 in cash. The robbers also allegedly a cell phone and a charger from the victim. They then reportedly got into the suspect’s car and fled the scene.

The following day, three of the robbers allegedly committed a violent carjacking of a cab driver in Paterson, New Jersey. According to law enforcement officials, the men kidnapped the taxi driver and then assaulted him with a knife and a beer bottle. Detectives investigated the violent incident and determined that the New York suspect was not involved.

Now the New York suspect has reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors and pleaded guilty to charges for conspiracy to commit robbery. When he appears in US District Court in Newark NJ on August 2, he could be sentenced to as many as 20 years in prison.

For additional information about this case, check out the NJ.com article, “Getaway Driver Pleads Guilty in 2015 Christmas Day Bar Robbery.”