Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

WILKES-BARRE — A Long Island, N.Y., man now has the opportunity to be released from the Luzerne County Correctional Facility, but at a cost.

Francisco Hernandez, 29, of Roosevelt, has been jailed without bail since his Sept. 16 arrest after he allegedly robbed and assaulted a woman while she was securing a child inside a vehicle on Madison Street and robbing a man at gunpoint on Public Square.

Hernandez appeared Thursday in Luzerne County Central Court where District Judge James Haggerty set his bail at $2 million.

City police allege Hernandez approached a man from behind and placed a gun into his back while demanding cash at East Market Street and Public Square. When the man said he had no money, Hernandez allegedly said he “would put a cap in him.”

Hernandez fled that initiated a massive police canvass in the downtown area. He was apprehended in a parking lot near South Wilkes-Barre Boulevard and Northampton Street.

After a preliminary hearing, Haggerty forwarded charges of robbery and terroristic threats against Hernandez to county court.

A preliminary hearing for the alleged robbery and assault of the woman on Madison Street was continued until Oct. 17.

In that case, Hernandez grabbed a woman while she was placing a girl in a child safety seat inside a vehicle. Hernandez allegedly grabbed the woman who fell to the ground and struck her in the head with a handgun.

Police allege Hernandez stole the woman’s purse but dropped his wallet containing his identification as he fled Madison Street.

Hernandez is facing four counts of access device fraud, two counts each of robbery, terroristic threats and reckless endangerment, and one count each of aggravated assault, simple assault and theft.

Hernandez
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_Francisco-Hernandez-09162019.jpg.optimal.jpgHernandez

By Ed Lewis

[email protected]