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Brandon Garcia, 22, of Jersey City, pleaded guilty in 2019 to multiple felonies arising from the Mar. 28, 2017 robbery, including Hobbs Act robbery, and using, carrying, or possessing a machine gun during a crime, according to Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams.
During the robbery, it is alleged that Garcia used a long gun to threaten store employees and poked one employee with the gun as he ordered him to “Get down!” and demanded employees provide him with cash and Newport cigarettes, which they did, Williams said.
Meanwhile, a man who authorities describe as a good Samaritan arrived at the Speedway to fill his car with gas, but noticed Garcia wearing all black and running into the store with his hood up; he suspected something was amiss, Williams said.
His suspicions were confirmed when he saw Garcia display his gun in the store, and immediately called 9-1-1 to report the robbery, Williams said.
When he saw Garcia run out of the store, he reportedly told the dispatch operator that he would follow Garcia, Williams said.
He then saw Garcia get into a waiting silver vehicle parked in an alley and followed the car, Williams said.
As he did, he told the dispatcher the direction the car was traveling until law enforcement located both cars, Williams said.
When officers stopped the silver car, they found two men inside, Garcia and his co-defendant Daequon Benjamin, who was driving the car, Williams said.
The witness confirmed that the silver vehicle was the car he had followed from the Speedway, and officers found the black clothing, a sawed-off short-barreled rifle, cash, and Newport cigarettes before arresting Garcia and Benjamin, Williams said.
In pleading guilty to the charges associated with the incident, Garcia also admitted committing two additional, similar armed robberies also in Allentown, of a 7-11 store and a Sunoco gas station and convenience store a mere five days before the Speedway robbery, Williams said.
During both of the earlier incidents, it is alleged that Garcia brandished the same sawed-off short-barreled rifle he took out during the Speedway robbery, Williams said.
“Brandon Garcia robbed three businesses within a one week, all at gunpoint, terrorizing the employees and patrons of those stores and the surrounding community,” said Williams.
“His crime spree endangered many lives and demonstrated his complete disregard for other people and for the law. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the investigators on this case and the brave actions of a concerned citizen, this defendant has been brought to justice.”
Garcia was sentenced to 14 years and nine months (or 177 months) in prison, and 4 years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Allentown Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Damiani.
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