Exclusive: Accused Bank Robber, Joey Hill and Family Speak Out
By: Jennifer Lee
Updated: October 21, 2011
The accused bank robber Joseph Hill is out of Jail. Hill is charged with robbing the NBT Bank on Genesee Street in Utica Wednesday afternoon. But, Hill and his family are speaking out in his defense.
Joey will be facing a judge in December. Family members say Joey has a disability and has a mind of a young child's. Family members say he is not capable of committing such a crime. And they hope whomever put Joey up to this will come forward.
"I'm telling the truth," said 28-year-old Joey Hill.
Joey says he was walking down the street, when two people came up to him.
"They put a note in my pocket and told me to go to the bank and take the money out," explained Joey.
Joey says he then went to the bank.
"I took the note out of my pocket and put it on the counter... and the guy gave me the money, " said Joey.
Joey said the two people told him to run. According to Joey, they dropped the envelope filled with money. He says he took the money home and that's when his mother called the police.
Joey's sister Leanna says someone had to put Joey up to this.
"At first when I heard about it and he came home and he had the money. My mom said joey just robbed a bank. She had all the money in her hand," explained Leanna.
The 30-year-old sister says Utica should have a safety procedure put in place in cases like Joey's.
"I really believe like they have an Amber Alert they should have a Joey Alert for people that are mentally disabled and handicapped or that state of mind that Joey is in," said Leanna.
Joey says he does not remember what the two people look like, who supposedly put him up to the bank robbery. There has been an outpouring of support for Joey on Utica Police Department's Facebook page.
If you have any information about the robbery, please call the Utica Police.
