NORTHAMPTON — Hooded and wearing a cloth as a face mask, all that could be seen of the person who allegedly robbed two Hampshire County banks in the spring of 2016 was their eyes.
Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Jennifer Suhl told a jury Wednesday in Hampshire Superior Court that “all of the credible and reliable evidence points solely” to Edgardo R. Rivera of Springfield.
But Rivera’s attorney, Alfred Chamberland, argued that the only person in the case who has definitively said it was Rivera is a co-defendant with previous convictions and a history of telling police different stories.
“At the heart of this case is the issue of identification,” Chamberland said. “The only person who will come in and point to him is a lying felon who is working under a cooperating agreement.”
Rivera pleaded not guilty in July 2016 to five counts of armed and masked robbery and two counts of conspiracy. The trial only addresses the five robbery counts. His trial began Wednesday morning after two days of jury selection.
Rivera and two women — Jahira Flores, of Springfield, and Frances Deleon, of Agawam — allegedly robbed the Monson Savings Bank in Ware on April 2, 2016. Rivera and Deleon are accused of robbing Chicopee Savings Bank in South Hadley on March 28, 2016.
Suhl is expected to call more than 20 witnesses and introduce 100 videos, images and documents into evidence over the course of the trial.
The evidence, Suhl told the jurors, will show that Rivera went into the South Hadley bank with his entire body covered in clothing — except for his eyes — and using what appeared to be a black handgun while demanding money from bank tellers. Suhl said Rivera made off with around $3,000.
“Five days later, he did it again. This time at the savings bank in Ware,” Suhl said. “This time he made off $7,000 richer.”
The “crime spree” began the day before and after Rivera and Deleon saw a news report of a bank robbery in Springfield, Suhl said. In anticipation of the day, Suhl said the pair bought plastic water guns and black spray paint to make the toy guns look real.
After each incident, Suhl said the two were captured on surveillance cameras at area stores shopping.
In between the two robberies, Flores, who is Rivera’s sister, allegedly became involved.
Following the second incident, Wilbraham police stopped the car Deleon was driving but released Deleon and a passenger who Suhl told the jury was Rivera.
The officer would later pick someone else out of a photo array who he believed was the passenger in Deleon’s car, Chamberland told the jurors.
Police eventually conducted a search of Rivera’s motel room and found 38 bills which had been marked by the Monson Savings Bank, Suhl said.
“You’ll have a number of different sources of information,” Suhl said. “Even though that is all the evidence you are going to need in this case to meet that proof, you will also have the opportunity to hear from Ms. Deleon herself.”
Chamberland told the jury that when Rivera was questioned by police he was cooperative and allowed them to take his picture, which would later be used in the photo array, as well as examine his cellphone.
Rivera has been held on bail since his arrest more than a year ago. The trial is expected to last a week before a jury deliberates.
Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com.