North Carolina Man Who Admitted to Committing Eight New Jersey Robberies Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Robbing Bank and Fast Food Restaurants

TRENTON—A Kingston, North Carolina man who admitted to robbing a bank, six fast food restaurants, and a convenience store in New Jersey’s Monmouth and Middlesex Counties between January 29 and February 12, 2011 was sentenced today to 108 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Timothy Lester Johnson, a/k/a “Amiri Allah,” 48, previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of bank robbery and two counts of commercial robbery for crimes he committed on February 11 and 12, 2011. Johnson entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano, who also imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.

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

Johnson admitted to eight robberies and also admitted to brandishing what appeared to be a firearm in each robbery.

Review of surveillance video from the robberies and additional investigation led law enforcement to a Neptune, New Jersey motor inn where Johnson was staying. On February 23, 2011, law enforcement observed Johnson place bags in the trunk of a car and depart the motel. Johnson was detained after law enforcement stopped the vehicle.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Pisano sentenced Johnson to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $7,614.15 in restitution. In sentencing the defendant, Judge Pisano considered all eight robberies as relevant conduct.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward in Newark; along with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Peter E. Warshaw Jr.; Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Bruce J. Kaplan; Howell Township Police Department; Long Branch Police Department; Eatontown Police Department; Neptune Township Police Department; Perth Amboy Police Department; Tinton Falls Police Department; and Township of Ocean Police Department for the work leading to the identification and apprehension of the defendant.

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