Men Robbed People Getting Gas In Woodbridge Last Fall, Police Say

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — This January, federal prosecutors charged two Newark men with carrying out seven armed robberies of gas station attendants — and people getting gas — throughout Central Jersey last September.

Four of the gas stations they hit were in Woodbridge. The others were in Union and one in West Orange, said U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger.

The men are Ahmad Singletary, 24, and Joseph Young, 26, both of Newark. Prosecutors say Singletary showed the gun and demanded the money, while Young drove the getaway car.

They had their first court appearance Jan. 16 and remain held behind bars.

Prosecutors say they robbed three gas stations on Sept. 5 (a Tuesday), and four more gas stations exactly one week later, on Tuesday, Sept. 12. In all the instances, police say they showed a Ruger 9 mm handgun.

Sellinger's office released the criminal complaint against the two men, which is publicly available here. The criminal complaint contains graphic surveillance photos, pictured above, of the robberies in action.

Here is a sampling of the alleged robberies (not the entire list):

At 1:39 a.m. Sept. 5 they robbed the gas station in the Colonia North service area on the Parkway. They pulled up in an Audi and pushed the two attendants, demanding money and phones. One of the victims struggled and Singletary struck him in the head with the gun, causing a deep laceration to his forehead. They stole a cell phone, a Medicare card and $187.

At 1:54 a.m. that same night they robbed a gas station on Rt. 22 in Union. They pulled up in the same Audi and entered the convenience store, where they struck one of the employees in the head with the gun multiple times, causing a broken nose, a chipped tooth and a head laceration.

Then at 2:01 a.m. they robbed the gas station in the Whitney Houston service area on the Parkway in Union. In that instance, they robbed a man getting gas: They pointed the gun at him and pushed him into the service booth, demanding money and his cell phone. They took $600 from the man. His wife and daughter were sitting in the car and when the wife started to call 911, Singletary took her cellphone. They then drove off.

At 10:37 a.m. that same day, police found the Audi abandoned on Glorieux Street in Irvington, after it had been involved in a chase with Newark Police. Video surveillance showed Young getting out of the driver's seat, wearing the same clothes as the robberies approximately eight hours before. He tore off a ski mask he had been wearing and sprinted from the car.

Police combed the Audi for forensic evidence, including a plastic Gatorade bottle from the passenger seat. Law enforcement swabbed the bottle for a DNA sample, which came back as a possible match to Young. Police also lifted fingerprints from the Audi, which matched Young's.

Sept. 12:

Exactly one week later, Young and Singletary resumed their spree, said prosecutors.

At 3:03 a.m., they robbed a gas station on Rt. 27 in Woodbridge, this time pulling up in a BMW. They stole $370 and the attendant's cell phone.

At 3:06 a.m. they returned to the same Colonia gas station on the Parkway, where they pointed the gun at the attendant and demanded he give them whatever cash he had. They made off with $146.

At 3:39 a.m. they robbed at gas station on Main Street in West Orange. They again showed a gun and demanded the two attendants lie on the ground. Police say Singletary then pointed the gun at two people sitting in a car waiting for gas, and took phones and car keys from them. In total, they took $1,000 from the victims and the cash register.

Detectives were able to charge Singletary because they said his cell phone number pinged multiple times off nearby cell towers while the robberies were occurring.

Both men are charged with: Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; one count of conspiracy to use and carry a firearm in a crime of violence; seven counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and two counts count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Singletary is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.