Documents: Pair went on robbery spree to get heroin
Jamie L. Greco, 23, and Christopher Marino, 29, were ordered held on $3 million bond, or $1.5 million cash bail, following their arraignments in Central Islip for a string of robberies. Credit: SCPD
A Medford couple suspected in a monthlong string of Suffolk holdups were arraigned Thursday, accused of multiple robberies they admitted committing to buy heroin, according to court documents.
Christopher E. Marino, 29, and Jamie L. Greco, 23, were each ordered held on $3 million bond, or $1.5 million cash bail, following their arraignments in First District Court in Central Islip.
The pair told of their roles in the 13 armed robberies of fast food restaurants, gas stations and other commercial businesses including a Carvel store, according to the documents, which said they also admitted to two more attempted holdups. The robberies occurred between Dec. 9 and Jan. 7, the court papers said.
They were charged with 13 counts of first-degree robbery and two counts of first-degree attempted robbery.
Marino and Greco are scheduled to appear in court again on Friday, officials said. Suffolk police have scheduled a 12:30 p.m. news conference on the case.
Law enforcement sources told Newsday on Tuesday night that a male suspect, not yet in custody at the time, may have used vehicles from a body shop where he worked to flee after the holdups.
Police arrested Marino and Greco early Wednesday morning, officials said.
According to court papers, Greco told investigators "We robbed the places because we needed heroin."
She said Marino "actually went in and did the robberies, and I waited in the car."
Marino told authorities he "went in with the gun and got the money."
Greco drove the couple away after the robberies, police said.
Armed with what appeared to be a gun, the duo first robbed a Medford Subway sandwich shop Dec. 9, and returned two days later and held it up again, authorities said.
The Subway store's supervisor, Nicole Pedretti, 21, said in an interview she was behind the register during the second robbery when a man wearing a ski mask barged in and pointed a gun at her and said, " 'Money, please.' "
"It's such a relief that they're caught and we're safe," Pedretti said.
The couple continued on their monthlong spree and robbed businesses in Medford, Coram, Ronkonkoma, Shirley and Center Moriches, police said.
A spokesman for the Suffolk County district attorney's office did not return an email on Thursday seeking additional information.
Port Jefferson attorney Steve Fondulis, who represented Greco Thursday, entered a not- guilty plea on her behalf. It was unclear if Marino entered a plea.
Fondulis said he did not know how -- or even if -- his client is associated with Marino and denied Greco had any role in the robberies.
In court Thursday, prosecutor Nancy Clifford said the robberies "were carefully planned and executed."
Police obtained a grainy surveillance video image of a male suspect in connection with a Jan. 7 robbery of a Best Express convenience store at 336 Ronkonkoma Ave., in Lake Ronkonkoma -- and released that photo to the media.
In several of the holdups, which all occurred between 6 p.m. and 1 a.m., the suspects fled with a few hundred dollars, but in a Christmas Day robbery of a Sunoco gas station in Coram, the suspects fled with nearly $2,000.
No one was injured in any of the robberies, police said.
With John Valenti
