Man jailed for gunpoint robbery in Pottstown

A man is headed to jail for the armed robbery of another man, during which a cellphone and cash were taken.

NORRISTOWN » A Norristown man is headed to jail for the armed robbery of a Pottstown man, during which he stole a cellphone and cash from the victim.

Charles Edward Williams, 18, of the 700 block of West Marshall Street, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 11½ to 23 months in the county jail after he pleaded guilty to felony charges of robbery, firearms not to be carried without a license and receiving stolen property in connection with the April 20, 2017, incident in Pottstown.

Judge Thomas C. Branca, who accepted a plea agreement in the matter, also ordered Williams to complete six years’ probation after he’s paroled, meaning Williams will be under court supervision for about eight years.

Williams has been in jail since his arrest in April.

An investigation began on April 20 when a Pottstown man reported to police that he was robbed at gunpoint by another man who approached him at 2 a.m. in the 400 block of Walnut Street.

“The subject pulled out a large, silver revolver handgun and told (the victim) to ‘give me all your money,’” according to the criminal complaint filed by Pottstown Police Officer Matthew R. Maciejewski, adding the victim gave the robber $120 cash and his cellphone valued at $300.

After filing the police report later that morning, the victim was walking home from borough hall when he spotted the robber at the corner of King and North Washington streets, according to the criminal complaint. The victim immediately called 911.

Borough police were able to access surveillance cameras in the area and observed Williams, who matched the description of the robber that was provided by the victim.

Arriving officers said Williams initially refused to listen to police commands but he was eventually taken into custody. Police found a .22-caliber handgun in Williams’ pants pocket, which had been reported stolen out of Reading, according to the criminal complaint.

Williams also was found possessing the victim’s cellphone and $90 in cash, court documents indicate. The victim subsequently positively identified Williams as the person who robbed him at gunpoint.