Morristown, NJ – The U.S. District Court in Newark has significantly ruled by sentencing Vincent Chan-Guillen, a 33-year-old Union County man, to over 33 years (407 months) in prison. This ruling comes as a result of his involvement in a series of armed robberies across New York and New Jersey. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the sentence today, ending a comprehensive investigation conducted by multiple agencies.
Chan-Guillen stood trial before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler and was found guilty on March 8, 2023. The charges against him included conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, using and carrying a firearm during a robbery, multiple counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and illegal firearm possession by a convicted felon.
Robbery Spree Details
Chan-Guillen’s criminal activities were exposed in court, where evidence demonstrated his direct participation in a series of nine armed robberies that took place from August to November 2018. His crime spree targeted five New York and four New Jersey stores, specifically liquor stores in Elizabeth, Woodbridge Township, Bloomfield, and Linden. Throughout these acts, Chan-Guillen instilled fear in-store employees and customers by openly wielding a firearm.
Judge Chesler not only sentenced Chan-Guillen to prison but also imposed a five-year supervised release after his sentence had been served.
The FBI, led by Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, conducted a thorough investigation that ultimately resulted in a successful conviction. This investigation was a collaborative effort, involving several local police departments, including Elizabeth, Rahway, Woodbridge, Bloomfield, Linden, Kenilworth, Union, and Lyndhurst. The New Jersey State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New York Division, and the New York Police Department played crucial roles in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Desiree Grace, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, and John F. Mezzanotte of the Newark Organized Crime/Gangs Unit presented the government’s case.
Also Read:
- Serial Robber in New Jersey and New York Sentenced to 34 Years in Federal Prison without Parole
- 23-Year Prison Sentence Given To Man Who Stabbed And Killed 21-Year-Old
- New Jersey Man Imprisoned for Racial Slurs on Black Neighbours
