Three face prison for 7-Eleven robbery spree

NORRISTOWN » Three men have admitted to their roles in a monthlong string of armed robberies of 7-Eleven convenience stores in Montgomery, Bucks and Philadelphia counties and are headed to prison.

“This was a series of well-orchestrated, highly violent robberies. They put people in fear for their lives,” said Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Laura Bradbury, who sought lengthy state prison terms against the three men.

The three men played various roles in some of the nine robberies that were committed between Jan. 21 and Feb. 21, 2017, at stores in Upper Dublin and Springfield townships in Montgomery County and in Bensalem, Bristol and Warrington townships in Bucks County, and in Philadelphia. The robbers stole cash and cigarettes

during the holdups and terrorized store clerks.

Nazeer Newton, 19, of the 1200 block of Glenbrook Road, Abington, was sentenced to four to eight years in prison and five years’ consecutive probation after he pleaded guilty to multiple felony robbery charges, admitting to participating in six of the robberies. With the charges, prosecutors alleged Newton entered the stores and was armed with a handgun or BB gun during the incidents.

Quentin Archie, 21, of the 1800 block of Widener Place, Philadelphia, admitted to participating in seven of the robberies, specifically admitting that he accompanied Newton inside the stores during the incidents. Archie was sentenced to three to six years in prison, to be followed by seven years’ probation.

Phillip Coleman Jr., 20, of the 1900 block of Nedro Avenue, Philadelphia, was sentenced to 7 ½ to 15 years in prison and five years’ consecutive probation after he admitted to having a role in eight of the robberies. Prosecutors alleged Coleman was the mastermind behind the robberies, cased the stores and was the lookout and getaway driver during the holdups.

Investigators linked the men to the robberies and each other through text messages that Coleman had with Newton and Archie.

The sentences were imposed by Judge Thomas C. Branca.

During the sentencing hearings, Bradbury showed the judge a surveillance videotape of one of the robberies “to show the level of violence of the perpetrators.”

During some of the robberies, according to the arrest affidavit, store clerks were pistol-whipped by one of the perpetrators and forced at gunpoint into rear offices while the suspects stole cash from registers and filled trash bags with tobacco products before fleeing.

The judge ordered the men to share in the payment of $10,120 in restitution in connection with the robberies.

The trio was taken into custody on Feb. 21 shortly after they held up the 7-Eleven at 1315 Bethlehem Pike in the Ambler section of Upper Dublin around 3 a.m., according to a 63page affidavit of probable cause filed by county Detective Mark Minzola and Upper Dublin Detective Michael B. Lebby.

According to investigators, Archie and Newton — both partially masked — walked into the store, pointed a gun at the clerk and stole about $400 in cash, as well as cartons of Newport cigarettes, e-cigarettes and other items.

A Whitpain police officer, hearing about the robbery over police radio, observed a black Chevy Impala in the area near the 7-Eleven circling around as if lost, and he followed the vehicle and eventually pulled it over after the driver failed to activate his turn signal while trying to get onto Route 309, according to court papers.

Coleman was driving the vehicle and Archie and Newton were passengers and Archie was wearing clothes that matched the description of what one of the armed robbers was wearing, according to court documents.

After observing “a large amount” of cash stuffed in the glove compartment of the vehicle, the three were detained, according to the criminal complaint.

A subsequent search of the Impala yielded a black Smith & Wesson 9 mm semi-automatic handgun with an obliterated serial number; two pellet guns; six trash bags containing “a large number” of cigarettes, e-cigarettes and blunts; and a “large quantity” of cash in small bills, court documents indicate.

Further investigation utilizing surveillance footage from other 7-Eleven stores that had been robbed in similar fashion during the previous month, as well as DNA evidence and text message conversations found on the men’s cellphones led authorities to conclude that Newton, Archie and Coleman were part of the armed robbery crew responsible for the robberies.