Life in Prison for South Brunswick Cell Phone Store Robberies

South Brunswick, NJ - A man was sentenced to life in prison, plus 14 years, Friday for taking part in four armed robberies of cell phone stores in Edison and South Brunswick, the Middlesex County prosecutor announced.

Michael Mitchell, 32, of Bristol, Pa., his stepbrother, and another man robbed cell phone stores in Edison on December 8, 2011, January 5, 2012 and January 12, 2012. They robbed a cell phone store in South Brunswick on December 19, 2011, prosecutors said. His stepbrother, Mack Mitchell, 22, also of Bristol, already pleaded guilty prior to trial and has been sentenced to serve 26 years in prison.

Another co-defendant, Emendo Bowers, 28, of the Somerset section of Franklin Township, also pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to serve 15 years.

Both Mack Mitchell and Bowers must serve 85 percent of their sentences before they can be eligible for parole.

Mitchell was convicted on December 1, 2015 of armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, theft, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

The judge said Mitchell will serve the prison term consecutively to a 25-year term he already is serving for an armed robbery in Somerset County.

Mitchell was arrested and charged following an investigation by Detective Theodore Hamer, Detective Sgt. Frank Todd and Detective Steve Todd, all of the Edison Police Department, and Detective Roger Tuohy of the South Brunswick Police Department.