NEWARK – A federal grand jury returned a 19-count indictment against a Newark man Wednesday morning in connection with a series of commercial establishment robberies in Union, Essex and Bergen counties, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Jamar Darby (a/k/a Rhino) 26, is charged with one count of conspiring to commit a Hobbs Act robbery, nine substantive counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and nine counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence.
Darby was previously arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with committing a Hobbs Act robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence in connection with the robbery of a Subway restaurant in Verona.
On May 20, Darby and two other individuals allegedly entered a Subway in Verona wearing dark hoodies, face masks and gloves. Darby and another individual allegedly each brandished a handgun. After Darby and another robber restrained an employee with plastic zip ties, Darby and his co-conspirators emptied the cash registers and fled.
The indictment also charged Darby in connection with robberies of Linden Stationary in Linden, a Delta Gas Station in Newark, Shoppers Express in Belleville, Pat’s Deli in Newark, a Smashburger in Paramus, and South Wood Discount Liquor in Linden. There was also two robberies of Krauszers in Bloomfield. All of these robberies occurred between December 2012 and May 2013.
Darby allegedly brandished a handgun in all of the robberies, and he and his conspirators stole cash, cigarettes and other items from their victims.
The Hobbs Act charges each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The charge of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison for the first offense, which must run consecutively to any other prison term. For each subsequent offense, the charge of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other prison term. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss arising out of the offense.
Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron Ford in Newark, with the investigation leading to the indictment. He also thanked the Belleville, Bloomfield, Kearny, Linden, Maplewood, Newark, Paramus, Verona and West Orange Police Departments, along with the NJ State Police and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for their work on the case.