Mercer County Man Sentenced to 125 Months in Prison for Armed Robbery Spree of Businesses in Trenton

Derrick T. Beckett, Jr., 23, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery. Judge Thompson imposed sentence today in Trenton federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From July 20, 2017, to Feb. 28, 2018, Beckett committed nine robberies and two attempted robberies of businesses in Trenton. Beckett approached employees of the businesses, brandishing what appeared to be a firearm, but was later determined to be a BB-gun, and demanded money. On multiple occasions Beckett threatened and engaged in violence, both threatening to shoot some victims, and pistol-whipping others when they failed to comply. Beckett stole cash and fled the victim businesses on foot, where he was sometimes met and assisted by a getaway driver.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Thompson sentenced Beckett to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $9,100.  

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction and sentence. She also thanked officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Sheilah Coley, and detectives and prosecutors of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Angelo Onofri, for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.