United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and Post Office in Newark (Photo credit: Jim Henderson)
NEWARK – Two Newark men who admitted to robbing three gas stations in Elizabeth and Newark on March 8, 2011, were sentenced to prison Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Abdul Muhammad, 22, was sentenced to 19 years in prison and Lamar Sanders, 24, was sentenced to 17¼ years in prison. Both men previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dennis M. Cavanaugh to three counts each of Hobbs Act robbery.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On March 8, 2011, Muhammad and Lamar Sanders robbed a Getty gas station and a Delta gas station, both in Newark, and a Lukoil gas station in Elizabeth.
Muhammad admitted to taking money from the gas station attendants at the Getty and Delta gas stations and to firing a gun towards the victim of the Getty gas station robbery. Muhammad also admitted to punching the gas station attendant at the Lukoil gas station during the robbery.
Sanders admitted to striking the gas station attendants at the Getty and Delta gas stations in the face during the robberies and to threatening the gas station attendant at the Lukoil gas station with a firearm. During the Lukoil robbery, Sanders handed the firearm to Muhammad, who then discharged the weapon, striking the Lukoil employee.
Muhammad and Sanders violated the Hobbs Act when they obstructed the movement of articles and commodities in commerce by robbing the employees of the gas station while they were working.
In addition to the prison terms, Cavanagh sentenced Muhammad and Sanders each to five years of supervised release.
Fishman credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentences.
