May 6, 2014

New York Man Admits to Participating in Five Armed Robberies of Electronics Stores in New Jersey and New York

NEWARK—A Brooklyn, New York man admitted today to participating in five armed robberies of electronics stores, including an armed robbery in Linden, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Kajuan Crawley, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano in Trenton federal court to a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robberies.

Crawley was arrested October 17, 2013, and charged in a superseding indictment—along with Carl Williams, 30, Eric Williams, 33, and Unique Randolph, 27—in connection with five armed robberies of electronic stores in New Jersey and New York. Crawley has been in custody since his arrest.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Between June 11, 2012 and September 20, 2012, Crawley conspired with others to commit a series of armed robberies of electronic store in New Jersey and New York, during which he and accomplices robbed merchandise for illegal resale.

Following the June 21, 2012 armed robbery of an electronic store in Rockville Center, New York, Crawley was apprehended by the officers with Nassau County Police Department. While released on bail, Crawley participated in the September 20, 2012 armed robbery of an electronics store in Linden. The charge of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robberies carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for September 18, 2014.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford, with the investigation leading to today’s plea. He also thanked the Linden and Woodbridge Police Departments in New Jersey, as well as the New York City and Nassau County Police Departments and the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in New York for their work in this case.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Osmar J. Benvenuto of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.