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From January to February 2022, Wendell Bradley, a 27-year-old Bayonne resident, – either alone or with Joseph Brown, a 26-year-old Jersey City resident – would drive to a gas station, pull up to a gas pump, ask the gas station attendant to put gas in the car’s tank, and, while the tank was being filled, would pull a gun on the attendant and demand money, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.
On Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, in Union, Brown pointed a gun at a gas station attendant, demanded money, and threated to kill him, Sellinger said. Bradley then grabbed the attendant from behind, but the attendant was able to break free and escape into the gas station before Brown or Bradley could take any money from him, Sellinger said.
The spree ended after Bradley and Brown robbed a gas station attendant at gunpoint in Secaucus, Sellinger said. Bradley and Brown fled, and officers chased them from Secaucus to Newark, where Bradley crashed his car, Sellinger said. While both men were running away from police, Bradley pulled his gun, approached an off-duty Essex County Sheriff’s officer, and demanded that the officer give Bradley his car, Sellinger said. The officer disarmed Bradley and detained him, Sellinger said.
Bradley was sentenced to 13 years in prison while Brown was sentenced to more than 7 years in prison. Bradley had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted carjacking, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, Sellinger said. Brown previously pleaded guilty to one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery and one count of Hobbs Act robbery, Sellinger said.
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