FBI Probe Busts Alleged NJ Armed Robbers In 6-County Spree

An FBI probed nabbed two men who have been charged with robbing convenience stores at gunpoint in six New Jersey counties, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced this week. The probe targeted 20 robberies across New Jersey and ended in a high-speed chase that involved helicopters.

Tione Davis, 35, of East Orange and Meshach Whagar, 29, of Newark were charged with robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence, according to a U.S. Attorney's Office release.

Whagar appeared Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Dickson in Newark federal court and was detained. Davis was expected to make his initial appearance on Wednesday.

The FBI was investigating a string of approximately 20 armed robberies of convenience stores and gas stations that took place throughout New Jersey between November and December 2017, according to the release.

Davis and Whagar were charged with robbing six of those convenience stores during that time, including locations in Middlesex, Morris, Bergen, Union, Hudson, and Passaic Counties, according to the release.

During those robberies, Davis, while wearing dark clothing and hiding his face with masks or scarves, allegedly brandished a handgun and demanded money from store clerks. After stealing cash from the stores, Davis fled with Whagar, who acted as the getaway driver.

Before being apprehended, the defendants led law enforcement on a high-speed vehicle pursuit in Morris County. Among the items found in their vehicle were two handguns matching the description of those Davis used during the robberies.

(Image via Union County Prosecutor's Office: From left - Tione Davis, 35, and Meshach Whagar, 29, both of Newark.)

They were busted in December after crashing their car during the police chase and setting off a township wide search for them. Around 1:15 a.m. on Dec. 19, police tried to stop the two for having the wrong registration tag, police said. Whagar and Davis allegedly sped away from police, eventually crashing into a telephone pole on Hanover Ave before running away on foot.

Whagar, the driver, was found hiding in a garage in Morris Township shortly afterwards. Davis was found at work the next morning. Police said they found two handguns, one loaded with dum-dum bullets, during a search of the car.

Numerous police departments, including those from Morris Plains, Hanover, Morristown, Madison and Florham Park, and several county departments, were involved in the search. Residents were warned of heavy police presence and low flying helicopters for several hours as the search went on, police said.

Read more: 2 Arrested After Large Police Search In Morris Twp

At the time, Whagar was charged with eluding, unlawful possession of a handgun, burglary, resisting arrest, hindering apprehension, and possession of dum-dum bullets. Davis was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a handgun, resisting arrest, and possession of dum-dum bullets. Both were taken to the Morris County Correctional Facility. Both defendants have been held in state custody since December.

In Union County, the men were charged in these robberies:

• Nov. 25, 2017 at around 3:50 a.m. at the BP gas station on Meisel Avenue in Springfield;
• Dec. 1, 2017 at 3:45 a.m. at the 7-Eleven on Westfield Avenue West in Roselle Park;
• Dec. 10, 2017 shortly after 3 a.m. at the QuickChek on Westfield Avenue in Clark;
• Dec. 11, 2017 at 2:20 a.m. at the QuickChek on Woodbridge Road in Rahway.

The robbery charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The brandishing a firearm charge carries a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other prison term, according to the release.

Each count also carries a potential $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked the Morris, Union, Middlesex, Hudson, Passaic, Bergen, and Essex County Prosecutor’s Offices, as well as the Morris Plains, Springfield, Middlesex, Lodi, Roselle Park, Rahway, Parsippany, Rockaway, Mahwah, Elmwood Park, Bayonne, West Orange, East Brunswick, South River, Edison, Hoboken, Union, Clark, Kearny, Clifton, and Maplewood police departments for their work on this case.

With reporting by Alexis Tarrazi and Katie Kausch

Union County photo