A year out of prison and NJ’s career-criminal brothers back behind bars

METUCHEN — Two brothers from Carteret have been charged with phoning in a phony bomb threat at Metuchen High School on Friday in order to rob the TD Bank on Route 27.

One of the brothers, Donell Cheek, 32, had been released from federal prison a year ago this week after serving time for his role in the robbery of a gas station attendant in 2011 outside another TD Bank in Deptford.

His brother Dashawn, 27, who also was charged in that 2011 robbery, was released from federal prison on Halloween 2014 after being sentenced in 2011 to 50 months. Both brothers were under supervised release. Both brothers also have a combined state and federal rap sheet with dozens of arrests and convictions for drugs and weapons offenses across the state.

In their latest alleged heist, both were charged with robbery, theft and making a false public alarm.

Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey said Saturday that an hour before one of the brothers entered the bank dressed in all black and wearing a mask, one of them phoned in the anonymous threat.

As a result, police were dispatched to the 800-student high school, which was evacuated until it was deemed safe.

But the Cheeks' plan to divert police attention didn’t work out as they expected, officials said.

Police said they managed to follow the pair after they left the bank with their loot and pulled them over on Barbour Place in Piscataway.

The two were being held at Middlesex County jail. Bail was set at $250,000.

The prosecutor did not release recent booking photos of the suspects.

Sergio Bichao is deputy digital editor at New Jersey 101.5. Send him news tips: Call 609-438-1015 or email sergio.bichao@townsquaremedia.com.

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