No bail for suspect in bank heists

A Queens man who spent nearly a quarter-century behind bars for a string of Long Island armed robberies now faces a life sentence if convicted in two Suffolk County bank heists.

Michael Walsh, 58, of Elmhurst, was ordered held without bail yesterday in First District Court in Central Islip.

Dressed in the same jeans and plaid, short-sleeved shirt he wore when arrested Friday outside of his Queens home, Walsh said little in court. He was represented by a public defender.

Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Nick Santomartino recited Walsh's long criminal record in arguing against bail. Walsh was first sent to prison in 1980 for robbery. He was released five years later, only to be arrested again in 1990 for multiple robberies, the prosecutor said. Walsh was released from state prison a second time in 2009.

"It's clear from the defendant's prior record that during his release he continues to commit these type of offenses," Santomartino said.

Court records show Walsh, on lifetime parole when released 2 years ago, has notched 79 arrests and 21 convictions -- 16 of which were for violent felonies. He faces a life sentence if convicted of the most recent robberies, Santomartino said.

Nassau police and officials in Newburgh said last week that Walsh would be charged with bank robberies in their jurisdictions.

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On June 30 about 5:30 p.m., police said, Walsh entered People's United Bank on Larkfield Road in East Northport. He pointed what appeared to be a black, semiautomatic pistol at an employee who turned over cash. In a July 26 robbery, Walsh entered a Chase branch on Fort Salonga Road, Northport, about 5:40 p.m. and demanded cash, brandishing a similar weapon, police said. After a female teller handed over the money, Walsh herded the bank's three employees into a vault, police said.

Suffolk police said Friday that the gun, an air pistol resembling a 9-mm handgun, was recovered when Walsh was arrested.