Philadelphia Man Gets More Than 33 Years in Prison for Home Invasion Robberies in Four States

PHILADELPHIA—Tahn Le, 44, of Philadelphia, was sentenced today to 400 months in prison in connection with armed home invasion robberies that occurred in Bartonsville, Pennsylvania and elsewhere between October 2009 and May 2010. Le and his co-defendants burst into the home of a nail salon owner after he arrived home from work with his two children. They held the victims at gunpoint, threatened them, assaulted the salon owner, and restrained him with duct tape while they rummaged through the house stealing valuables. Defendant Thach Van Nguyen, who once worked for the victim, acted as a lookout.

Le and his co-defendants targeted successful Asian business owners in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia for home invasion robberies because they believed that the owners stored significant amounts of business proceeds in their homes. In carrying out the robberies, the defendants brandished handguns, tied up and, in some instances, beat their victims, and stole business proceeds as well as expensive jewelry. On January 20, 2012, a federal jury convicted Le of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce through multiple home invasion robberies and related firearms violations.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Legrome D. Davis ordered Le to pay restitution in the amount of $112,689.55, serve five years of supervised release, and pay a special assessment of $400. To date, seven co-defendants have pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing: Teo Van Bui, Buu Huu Truong, Thach Van Nguyen, Den Van Nguyen, Denise Novelli, Sidney Biggs, and Hung T. Ngo.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Poconos Township, Pennsylvania Police Department; the Freehold Borough, New Jersey Police Department; the Monroe Township, New Jersey Police Department; and the Fairfax County, Virginia Police Department. Additional assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys John S. Han and Robert Livermore of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.