Michael Gibson, a 22-year-old from Toms River, now faces 20 years in prison.
TOMS RIVER - An Ocean County jury found a township man guilty of first-degree robbery on Wednesday even though the bank he was targeting in 2015 was locked by the time he got there.
Shortly before 5:15 p.m. on Oct. 6, 2015, a man - later identified as Michael Gibson, then 22, of Toms River - entered the vestibule of the TD Bank at 2292 Hooper Ave. in Brick Township and displayed what appeared to be a gun, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.
He banged on the glass door and tried to get into the bank, but the inner doors were locked because the employees were locking up for the evening.
Toms River resident Michael Gibson admitted to police that he entered the vestibule of a TD Bank with a firearm with the intention of robbing the bank, only to find the doors locked, authorities said. (Ocean County Prosecutor's Office) Bank employees and customers still inside the bank hid behind the teller desk until the defendant left, and then contacted police, authorities said.
Gibson left in a blue Toyota, police said.
A person followed the man as he fled the parking lot and followed the Toyota to Beaverson Boulevard, police said.
Brick Township Police Officers John Ziobro, Brian Farnkopf and Brick Detective Waleski stopped the car in the area of Beaverson Boulevard and Shorrock Street, at which time the defendant was arrested and a black Airsoft handgun was recovered from inside the vehicle, the prosecutor's office said.
Authorities said Gibson admitted in an interview with Detective Thomas Cooney that he brandished the handgun in the vestibule.
Two TD Bank employees, a concerned citizen, patrolman Ziobro and Farnkopf, and detectives Waleski and Cooney testified during the trial.
Despite Gibson's claim that he had abandoned his purpose to rob the bank, and that the gun was fake, the jury found him guilty of first-degree robbery and third-degree possession of an imitation firearm.
First-degree robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and carries a mandatory period of parole ineligibility of 85 percent of the sentence imposed. Third-degree possession of an imitation firearm is punishable by up to five years incarceration.
The driver of the vehicle - identified as Sydir Gibson, 20, of Stony Hill Road in Eatontown - was also arrested and charged with robbery, authorities said.
Gibson is being held in the Ocean County Jail without bail pending sentencing, which is scheduled for November.
The state's case was presented by Assistant Prosecutor Ashley Tito, who was assisted by Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Patrick Sheehan.
Detective Michael Lepore from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office assisted in the investigation and preparation of the case for trial.
Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.