Salem man accused in local bank robberies held on $250,000 bail

SALEM – Bail for a Salem man accused of stealing thousands from two banks in Saugus and one in Lynnfield remains held at the Middleton Jail on $250,000 bail after pleading innocent.Daniel J. Buckley, Jr., 34, of 7A Buffum Street Extension, Salem, entered his plea of innocent to two counts of armed robbery as well as a single charge for masked armed robbery involving a four-week crime spree that began in December.Judge Howard J. Whitehead set the agreed bail amount proposed by prosecutors and defense and continued the case to May 20 for a pretrial conference.On Dec. 8 police believe Buckley walked into the Eastern Bank branch at 605 Broadway in Saugus around 4 p.m., wearing a wool hat pulled down almost over his eyes, sunglasses and a scarf.His alleged accomplice, Rachel K. Fulton, 28, also of 7A Buffum Street Extension, Salem, disguised herself by wearing large sunglasses and a possible wig. They each went up to different tellers, passed a threatening note demanding money while indicating they had a weapon.They made off with about $3,300, according to reports.The hold-up was captured on the bank surveillance camera.Then on Dec. 21 authorities say they went to the Saugus Bank, located at 312 Lynn Fells Parkway in Saugus, where they stole $3,408 and fled.On Feb. 12, authorities say they stole $4,244 from the Eastern Bank branch on Salem Street in Lynnfield.Before the final robbery occurred, police acted on an anonymous tip who said the couple “bragged” about their previous holdups, according to reports.Authorities also learned that Buckley might be living at his parents’ house on Nicholson Street in Lynn, but Buckley’s father later said his son had not been living at his home since August and that he was in Salem.Surveillance was set up at the Nicholson Street home, which police learned the couple frequented and that a 1996 green Ford Explorer matching the described getaway car had been parked in the driveway.About 40 minutes after the Lynnfield bank robbery, police spotted the Explorer outside the Nicholson Street home.When the couple left in the Explorer, police stopped it at the intersection of O’Callaghan Way and Walnut Street.During the search, police recovered the stolen money from the Lynnfield robbery, including marked “bait money”Some of the cash was found in Buckley’s pants and additional cash was discovered in Fulton’s bra, police said.Fulton, who is currently being held at Framingham Prison for Women in lieu of bail, is expected to be arraigned on Monday according to Assistant District Attorney James P. Gubitose, assigned to prosecute their cases.A conviction on armed robbery carries a potential life sentence in state prison.