2 Union County Men Indicted In Armed Robbery Spree

ELIZABETH, NJ — Two Union County men who police say allegedly committed a spree of armed robberies in New Jersey and New York were indicted by a federal grand jury Monday.

Jaime Fontanez, 43, and Vincent Chan-Guillen, 30, both of Elizabeth, are charged in a 13-count indictment with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, multiple counts of Hobbs Act robbery, as well as brandishing and discharging a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Authorities say that from August 2018 through February 2019, Fontanez and Chan-Guillen conspired with each other, and others, to commit robberies in the Bronx and counties in New York and Union, Middlesex, and Essex counties in New Jersey.

The pair would target convenience and liquor stores where one of the men pointed a gun at the store clerk while the other went behind the counter to steal money from the cash register. On one occasion, Chan-Guillen fired a gun into the liquor store. That gun was later found in Chan-Guillen’s possession, according to documents filed in this case and statements made in court.

The Hobbs Act charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence 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. The discharging of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other prison term. Each count also carries a potential $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

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

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Don't miss local and statewide announcements. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.