Police in Middlesex County Charge Second Man In Connection With Home Invasion

Police have charged a second Camden man in connection with a home invasion robbery in New Brunswick earlier this month.

The victim told police he was trying to sell an Xbox to the men who robbed him, but police said their continuing investigation suggests the Camden men went to the New Brunswick home because of a prearranged marijuana sale.

The Camden men are also facing charges in South Jersey, in connection with a robbery there, according to a published report.

Devonta Bethea, 20, was charged Monday with robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, theft, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Police said Bethea and his co-defendant, Jerome Powell, robbed the Morrell Street resident at gunpoint on Feb. 2.

They stole an Xbox, cell phones and marijuana from the house, police said.

The victim told police he was trying to sell the gaming console to the two men when they robbed him, according to a news release from Capt. JT Miller.

But, further police investigation suggests a prearranged sale of marijuana between the victim and the defendants “was the actual catalyst which brought the suspects to the victim’s home,’’ the news release said.

Bethea was served with complaints at the Camden County Correctional Center, where he is being held on unrelated charges. Powell was charged last week with robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and theft. He was also served with complaints at the jail in Camden County.

Bethea and Powell were sent to the Camden County jail after their arrests earlier this month in connection with a Washington Township case, the South Jersey Times reported.

In that case, cash was stolen from three juveniles who had arranged to buy iPhones through an ad on Craigslist, the newspaper reported.

Bethea is accused of pointing a handgun at one of those victims, and authorities in South Jersey said they recovered sawed-off shotguns from the home where Bethea was staying, according to the South Jersey Times.

New Brunswick detectives said they are continuing their investigation.