North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to New Jersey Robbery Spree

By Alicia Cruz
The New Jersey Newsroom

A Kinston, North Carolina man pleaded guilty last week to robbing six New Jersey businesses and a bank in Monmouth and Middlesex Counties between January 29, 2011 and February 12, 2011, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Timothy Lester Johnson, also known as "Amiri Allah," pleaded guilty to one count of Bank Robbery and two counts of commercial robbery in Trenton federal Court. During his court hearing, Johnson admitted to robbing the following New Jersey establishments:
Jan. 29, 2011 Dunkin Donuts 231 Third Avenue Long Branch, N.J.
Feb. 3, 2011 Burger King 139 Highway 35 Eatontown, N.J.
Feb. 4, 2011 Quick Chek 3607 Highway 33 Neptune, N.J.
Feb. 6, 2011 Dunkin Donuts 587 Fayette Street Perth Amboy, N.J.
Feb. 8, 2011 McDonalds 588 Shrewsbury Avenue Tinton Falls, N.J.
Feb. 11, 2011 Dunkin Donuts 2112 Highway 35 South Ocean Township, N.J.
Feb. 11, 2011 Dunkin Donuts 4060 Asbury Avenue Tinton Falls, N.J.

After his last Dunkin Donuts robbery, Johnson headed for the PNC Bank on Route 9 South in Howell where he robbed the bank, like the other businesses, at gunpoint, before making off with an undisclosed amount of money.

Video surveillance footage from each crime scene led investigators to Johnson as a suspect. He was later tracked to a motel in Neptune where police staked out the motel and observed Johnson placing bags in the trunk of his vehicle. He was apprehended February 23, 2011 after he left the motel and police stopped the car

Johnson, who entered his plea before U.S. District Court Judge Joel A. Pisano,
faces 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced November 7, 2011. Fishman credited Newark special agents of the FBI along with the Monmouth County and Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office; the Howell Township, Long Branch, Eatontown, Neptune Township, Perth Amboy, Tinton Falls and Township of Ocean Police Departments for their work leading to the identification and apprehension of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Clabby of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton represented the government. Trenton Assistant Federal Public Defender, Brian Reilly represented Johnson.