Life Sentence For Burlington County Man With Long Rap Sheet

A Burlington County man who has been arrested 21 times for theft, burglary, assault, and weapons offenses has been sentenced to life in prison for the armed robberies of a Florence Township convenience store and gas station two years ago, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced.

It was the ninth conviction in New Jersey Superior Court for 49-year-old Frederick Owle, of Mount Holly, Coffina said. Owle goes by the street name “Chief.”

Owle was found guilty on two counts of first-degree robbery and weapons charges, which were merged with the robbery counts for the purposes of sentencing.

Assistant Prosecutors Jeremy Lackey and Heather Tran successfully argued that Owle should be sentenced to an extended term as a repeat, violent offender.

Owle was sentenced to life in prison on one count and a concurrent 17-year-term for the other. A life sentence in New Jersey is equal to 75 years.

“On the surface, it might appear that Mr. Owle is going to spend the rest of his life in prison for stealing a pack of cigarettes and a few hundred dollars, but the justification for this sentence is irrefutable,” Coffina said. “This defendant has demonstrated total disregard for the law and safety of others time and time again, which warrants the tough sentence we sought.”

Just before midnight on April 14, 2017, Owle entered the Wawa on Route 130 and got in line with customers. When he reached the counter, he asked the cashier for a pack of Newport cigarettes.

After the cashier got the cigarettes from the shelf, she turned to see Owle holding a pocket knife and leaning toward her, Coffina said.

“Empty the register and give me the cash,” he said to her in a whisper, according to the prosecutor’s office.

However, the cashier backed away from him and announced on the store’s loudspeaker that a robbery was taking place, according to the prosecutor’s office. Owle took the cigarettes and ran from the store, Coffina said.

Florence Township police officers responding to the incident soon learned that another robbery was taking place at the nearby Valero gas station.

Owle had donned a mask and used a pipe to threaten two attendants, who then handed over approximately $500, Coffina said.

With the help of Bordentown and Burlington Township police, Owle was found and arrested several hours later at the Budget Inn on Route 130 in Burlington Township, Coffina said.