Member of New Jersey Robbery Crew Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Term
Crime Blotter
January 21, 2010
TRENTON—A principal member of the so-called "Route 35 Crew" was sentenced to 334 months in federal prison today for committing 11 armed bank robberies, a home invasion robbery and two other robberies between August 2006 and November 2007, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano also ordered that Ruben Rosado, 31, of Rahway, to pay $374,570 in restitution to the victims of his crimes and to serve five years of supervised release upon the completion of his prison term. Rosado has been in custody since his arrest on Nov. 15, 2007.
On Dec. 8, 2008, Rosado pleaded guilty to three counts of a Superseding Indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury in November 2008. Rosado pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit robbery, as well as one count of armed bank robbery and one count of possessing a firearm during the commission of a violent offense.
During his plea hearing, Rosado admitted that he and his co-conspirators committed the robberies over a span of 15 months, during which more than $288,000 was taken. In all but one of the robberies, firearms were brandished by Rosado or his co-conspirators. Among his admissions, Rosado said he beat an elderly courier during the Nov. 27, 2006, robbery of CardSmart, LLC in Garwood, and pointed a gun at a baby and her mother during an August 2006 home invasion.
Rosado admitted that all but one of these robberies were committed with the use of firearms brandished by him and his co-conspirators, and that he made criminal sexual contact with female victims during the robberies.
"Thanks to the FBI, the Middlesex County Prosecutor´s Office and the many police departments responsible for bringing Mr. Rosado´s violent crime spree to an end," said Fishman. "Today´s sentence reflects this office´s commitment to seeking lengthy prison terms for those who commit acts of violence using firearms."
"Mr. Rosado is obviously a dangerous man with no regard for law and order," said Kevin Cruise, Acting Special Agent In Charge of the FBI's Newark field office. "Therefore, it is fitting that he be removed from society. We thank our numerous law enforcement partners who played a role in tracking down and apprehending Mr. Rosado and his cohorts."
With regard to the Aug. 15, 2006, home invasion, Rosado admitted breaking into the apartment bedroom of a woman and her infant child. Rosado further stipulated that the mother was bound and gagged during the robbery, and that he pointed a firearm at the baby and threatened to kill her. Regarding the Nov. 27, 2006, robbery of CardSmart, LLC, Rosado admitted he repeatedly punched an elderly victim in the face as part of the robbery. According to the terms of the plea agreement, the parties agreed that Rosado´s extreme conduct merited a more severe sentence than would otherwise be applicable under the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
During Rosado´s plea hearing, he admitted his participation in the following robberies:
Aug. 15, 2006, home invasion robbery - Allentown, PA
Nov. 27, 2006, robbery of CardSmart, LLC - Garwood, NJ;
Dec. 27, 2006, robbery of Speedy Check Cashing - Linden, NJ;
Jan. 10, 2007, robbery of Rahway Savings Bank - Rahway, NJ;
Feb. 8, 2007, robbery of Wachovia Bank - Colonia, NJ;
March 10, 2007, robbery of Unity Bank - Colonia, NJ;
April 24, 2007, robbery of Unity Bank - Colonia, NJ;
June 25, 2007, robbery of Bank of America - Iselin, NJ;
July 20, 2007, robbery of Columbia Savings Bank - Edison, NJ;
Sept. 4, 2007, robbery of PNC Bank - Fords, NJ;
Sept. 15, 2007, robbery of Wachovia Bank - Metuchen, NJ;
Sept. 25, 2007, robbery of PNC Bank - East Brunswick, NJ;
Oct. 12, 2007, robbery of Bank of America - Edison, NJ; and
Nov. 10, 2007, robbery of Investors Savings Bank - Piscataway, NJ.
Pursuant to the terms of Rosado´s plea, each of the 14 robberies counted as a separate offense under the sentencing guidelines. Furthermore, Rosado´s plea to possessing a firearm during the commission of a violent offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, to run consecutive to the sentence to be imposed for the armed bank robbery and conspiracy to commit bank robbery counts.
Four of Rosado´s co-defendants, Michael Green, 30, of Linden, Sandy Hart, 29, of Rahway, Andre Billups, 24, of Rahway, and Brandon Thomas, 27, of Rahway, have pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing.
In determining the actual sentence, Judge Pisano consulted the advisory Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges that take into account the severity and characteristics of the offense, the defendant´s criminal history, if any, and other factors. The Judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence. Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.
Fishman credited Special Agents with the FBI´s Franklin Township Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin B. Cruise, and the Middlesex County Prosecutor´s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan, as well as the police departments of Rahway, Perth Amboy, Piscataway, Woodbridge, Cranford, Sayreville, Edison, Metuchen, East Brunswick, and Linden, for the investigation of the Route 35 Crew.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Mack of the U.S. Attorney´s Securities and Health Care Fraud Unit, and Scott B. McBride of the U.S. Attorney´s Government Fraud Unit.
Defense Counsel for Rosado: Hal Haveson, Esq., Princeton
U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano also ordered that Ruben Rosado, 31, of Rahway, to pay $374,570 in restitution to the victims of his crimes and to serve five years of supervised release upon the completion of his prison term. Rosado has been in custody since his arrest on Nov. 15, 2007.
On Dec. 8, 2008, Rosado pleaded guilty to three counts of a Superseding Indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury in November 2008. Rosado pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit robbery, as well as one count of armed bank robbery and one count of possessing a firearm during the commission of a violent offense.
During his plea hearing, Rosado admitted that he and his co-conspirators committed the robberies over a span of 15 months, during which more than $288,000 was taken. In all but one of the robberies, firearms were brandished by Rosado or his co-conspirators. Among his admissions, Rosado said he beat an elderly courier during the Nov. 27, 2006, robbery of CardSmart, LLC in Garwood, and pointed a gun at a baby and her mother during an August 2006 home invasion.
Rosado admitted that all but one of these robberies were committed with the use of firearms brandished by him and his co-conspirators, and that he made criminal sexual contact with female victims during the robberies.
"Thanks to the FBI, the Middlesex County Prosecutor´s Office and the many police departments responsible for bringing Mr. Rosado´s violent crime spree to an end," said Fishman. "Today´s sentence reflects this office´s commitment to seeking lengthy prison terms for those who commit acts of violence using firearms."
"Mr. Rosado is obviously a dangerous man with no regard for law and order," said Kevin Cruise, Acting Special Agent In Charge of the FBI's Newark field office. "Therefore, it is fitting that he be removed from society. We thank our numerous law enforcement partners who played a role in tracking down and apprehending Mr. Rosado and his cohorts."
With regard to the Aug. 15, 2006, home invasion, Rosado admitted breaking into the apartment bedroom of a woman and her infant child. Rosado further stipulated that the mother was bound and gagged during the robbery, and that he pointed a firearm at the baby and threatened to kill her. Regarding the Nov. 27, 2006, robbery of CardSmart, LLC, Rosado admitted he repeatedly punched an elderly victim in the face as part of the robbery. According to the terms of the plea agreement, the parties agreed that Rosado´s extreme conduct merited a more severe sentence than would otherwise be applicable under the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
During Rosado´s plea hearing, he admitted his participation in the following robberies:
Aug. 15, 2006, home invasion robbery - Allentown, PA
Nov. 27, 2006, robbery of CardSmart, LLC - Garwood, NJ;
Dec. 27, 2006, robbery of Speedy Check Cashing - Linden, NJ;
Jan. 10, 2007, robbery of Rahway Savings Bank - Rahway, NJ;
Feb. 8, 2007, robbery of Wachovia Bank - Colonia, NJ;
March 10, 2007, robbery of Unity Bank - Colonia, NJ;
April 24, 2007, robbery of Unity Bank - Colonia, NJ;
June 25, 2007, robbery of Bank of America - Iselin, NJ;
July 20, 2007, robbery of Columbia Savings Bank - Edison, NJ;
Sept. 4, 2007, robbery of PNC Bank - Fords, NJ;
Sept. 15, 2007, robbery of Wachovia Bank - Metuchen, NJ;
Sept. 25, 2007, robbery of PNC Bank - East Brunswick, NJ;
Oct. 12, 2007, robbery of Bank of America - Edison, NJ; and
Nov. 10, 2007, robbery of Investors Savings Bank - Piscataway, NJ.
Pursuant to the terms of Rosado´s plea, each of the 14 robberies counted as a separate offense under the sentencing guidelines. Furthermore, Rosado´s plea to possessing a firearm during the commission of a violent offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, to run consecutive to the sentence to be imposed for the armed bank robbery and conspiracy to commit bank robbery counts.
Four of Rosado´s co-defendants, Michael Green, 30, of Linden, Sandy Hart, 29, of Rahway, Andre Billups, 24, of Rahway, and Brandon Thomas, 27, of Rahway, have pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing.
In determining the actual sentence, Judge Pisano consulted the advisory Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges that take into account the severity and characteristics of the offense, the defendant´s criminal history, if any, and other factors. The Judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence. Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.
Fishman credited Special Agents with the FBI´s Franklin Township Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin B. Cruise, and the Middlesex County Prosecutor´s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan, as well as the police departments of Rahway, Perth Amboy, Piscataway, Woodbridge, Cranford, Sayreville, Edison, Metuchen, East Brunswick, and Linden, for the investigation of the Route 35 Crew.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Mack of the U.S. Attorney´s Securities and Health Care Fraud Unit, and Scott B. McBride of the U.S. Attorney´s Government Fraud Unit.
Defense Counsel for Rosado: Hal Haveson, Esq., Princeton
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