Two Former New Jersey Residents Charged with Multiple Armed Robberies in Luzerne, Schuylkill, and Carbon Counties

Peter J. Smith, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, together with representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Hazleton, Tamaqua, McAdoo, Kidder Township, Rush Township, and Nesquehoning Police Departments, and the Luzerne County, Schuylkill County, and Carbon County District Attorney’s Offices, announces the indictment of two former New Jersey residents for participating in multiple armed robberies of stores and businesses located in Luzerne, Schuylkill, and Carbon Counties between December 2011 and February 2012.

The indictment filed August 28, 2012, in U.S. District Court in Scranton, charges Tysheed Hargrove, age 19, aka “Sincere,” formerly of Newark, New Jersey, with 11 counts of interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting, and one count of using, possessing, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

Specifically, the indictment charges Hargrove with robbing the following institutions:

• Convenient Mart, 51 West Juniper Street, Hazleton, on December 21, 2011;
• Turkey Hill, 70 Station Circle, Hazle Township, on December 24, 2011;
• Unimart, Route 940, Foster Township, on January 5, 2012;
• Turkey Hill, 800 Alter Street, Hazleton, on January 6, 2012;
• Turkey Hill, 800 Alter Street, Hazleton, on January 10, 2012;
• Fegley’s Mini-Mart, 30-32 Center Street, Tamaqua, on January 20, 2012 ;
• Fegley’s Mini-Mart, 146 South Kennedy Drive, McAdoo, on January 26, 2012;
• Wawa, SR 940, White Haven, on January 29, 2012;
• Turkey Hill, 205 Claremont Avenue, Hometown, on February 3, 2012;
• Unimart/Exxon, 541, Altamont Boulevard, Frackville, on February 3, 2012; and
• Fegley’s Mini-Mart/Dunkin Donuts, 30-32 Center Street, Tamaqua on February 5, 2012.

In addition, the indictment charges Jose Nunez, age 19, aka “Skillz,” formerly of Newark, New Jersey, with aiding and abetting Hargrove in the following seven robberies:

• Convenient Mart, 51 West Juniper Street, Hazleton, on December 21, 2011;
• Turkey Hill, 70 Station Circle, Hazle Township, on December 24, 2011;
• Unimart, Route 940, Foster Township, on January 5, 2012;
• Fegley’s Mini-Mart, 146 South Kennedy Drive, McAdoo, on January 26, 2012;
• Wawa, SR 940, White Haven, on January 29, 2012;
• Turkey Hill, 205 Claremont Avenue, Hometown on February 3, 2012; and
• Unimart/Exxon, 541, Altamont Boulevard, Frackville on February 3, 2012.

The indictment also charges Nunez with one count of aiding and abetting the using, possessing and brandishing of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

Both were arrested on February 5, 2012.

Each of the robbery charges carries a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a three-year term of supervised release. The charge of using, possessing and brandishing a firearm carries a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years, consecutive to any other sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and numerous local law enforcement agencies, including the Hazleton, Tamaqua, McAdoo, Kidder Township, Rush Township, and Nesquehoning Police Departments, and the Luzerne County, Schuylkill County, and Carbon County District Attorney’s Offices.

Prosecution has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara.

An Indictment or information is not evidence of guilt but simply a description of the charge made by the grand jury and/or United States Attorney against a defendant. A charged defendant is presumed innocent until a jury returns a unanimous finding that the United States has proven the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or until the defendant has pled guilty to the charges.