Rockland County, NY – Bernard Salas, 46, of Ramapo, New York, was convicted of multiple felony and misdemeanor charges following a jury trial in the County Court of Rockland County. The trial, presided over by Judge Anne B. Bianchi, concluded on May 16, 2024.
Salas’s convictions stem from two separate incidents. On July 14, 2023, Salas stole a bag containing keys, paperwork, an electric scooter, and expired credit cards from an unoccupied parked vehicle in the Village of Spring Valley. He also took AirPods from a second unoccupied vehicle in the same driveway.
The second incident occurred on December 7, 2023, when Salas attempted to cash a $7,500 check at a local bank. The check, reported stolen the previous evening from a vehicle in Ramapo, had been forged with the victim’s signature and made out to Salas. Bank employees, suspicious of the check, refused to cash it, prompting Salas to become irate. Police were called to the scene as Salas refused to leave and threatened the bank staff. He was arrested for trespass and disorderly conduct. During the arrest, he resisted, spitting in an officer’s face and injuring another officer.
Salas was convicted of the following charges:
- Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree (Class D Felony)
- Attempted Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (Class E Felony)
- Petit Larceny (Class A Misdemeanor)
- Resisting Arrest (Class A Misdemeanor)
- Attempted Assault in the Third Degree (Class B Misdemeanor)
- Trespass (Violation)
- Harassment in the Second Degree (Violation)
- Disorderly Conduct (Violation)
District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II stated, “The defendant in this case has shown a clear disregard for the rule of law. Today’s conviction demonstrates the dedication and commitment of law enforcement and our Assistant District Attorneys to hold individuals accountable for their criminal activities. We will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to ensure that our neighborhoods are safe for all residents.”
Following the verdict, Salas was remanded to the Rockland County Jail and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 13, 2024. Given his status as a mandatory predicate felon with four prior felony convictions and nine previous misdemeanor convictions, Salas faces a mandatory minimum of 2-4 years and up to 3½-7 years in state prison for the top count of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree. The court may also consider sentencing Salas as a persistent felony offender, which could result in a minimum of 15 years to life in prison.
The case was prosecuted by Supervising Assistant District Attorney Michael Peterson and Senior Assistant District Attorney Morgan Czarnik.