Two NJ men behind bars for armed gas station robberies

⛽ Two NJ men are imprisoned for a string of armed gas station robberies

⛽ The robberies took place in 2022, according to the U.S. attorney

⛽ The pair even tried to carjack an Essex County Sheriff's officer

NEWARK — Two Hudson County men have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in a string of armed gas station robberies in New Jersey in 2022, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.

According to Sellinger, Wendell Bradley Jr., 27, of Bayonne, was sentenced to over 13 years in prison. Joseph Brown, 26, of Jersey City was sentenced to nearly eight years.

Bradley had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted carjacking, and one count of brandishing a firearm, before U.S District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court, Sellinger announced.

Brown pleaded guilty to one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of Hobbs Act robbery.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court, Bradley hit a series of gas stations between Jan. 3, 2022 and Feb. 4, 2022, pulling a gun on gas station attendants and demanding money while getting gas. Sometimes he acted alone, and sometimes he was aided by Brown.

In one incident, on Jan. 20, 2022, Brown pointed a gun at a gas station attendant in Union, demanded cash, and threatened to kill him. Bradley then grabbed the attendant from behind, but the attendant was able to break free and escape before the duo could take money from him.

The spree ended after Bradley and Brown robbed a gas station attendant at gunpoint in Secaucus. When the pair fled, officers chased them from Secaucus to Newark, where Bradley crashed his car, the documents unveiled. While both men were running away from the cops, Bradley pulled his gun, approached an off-duty Essex County Sheriff’s officer, and demanded his car. The officer took the gun away from Bradley and held him.

In addition to the lengthy prison terms, Judge Arleo also sentenced Bradley and Brown to three years of supervised release.

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