Mercer Man Gets 16 Years For Spree Of Carjackings, Armed Robberies

TRENTON, NJ – A Trenton man was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for committing a series of carjackings, armed robberies, and firearms offenses, U.S. Philip R. Sellinger said Thursday.

Joshua M. Perez, 25, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner to a five-count Superseding Information, charging him with two counts of carjacking, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.

Judge Castner imposed the sentence Thursday in Trenton federal court.

On Oct. 10, 2020, Perez and unidentified conspirators carjacked two people in Trenton. As the victims were leaving their car, Perez and his conspirators got out of a white sedan, pointed handguns at the victims and robbed them of their money, cell phones, and vehicle, according to court documents.

Then on Dec. 5, 2020, Perez and an a conspirator carjacked another man in Trenton, when he was sitting in his parked car. Perez and his conspirator ran up to the man’s window, pointed handguns at him, and ordered him out of the car. They stole the man’s money and cell phone and fled the scene in the car, court documents said.

Around one hour later, Perez and multiple unidentified conspirators used the carjacked vehicle as the getaway car in the armed robbery of a nearby gas station. They arrived at the gas station in the vehicle, court documents said. As Perez entered the gas station, one of his conspirators ordered two people outside the station to the ground at gunpoint and pistol-whipped them. On entering the gas station, Perez robbed the attendant at gunpoint, emptying the cash register, according to court documents.

On Dec. 7, 2020, law enforcement officers responded to Perez’s residence to execute a search warrant. During the court-authorized search of Perez’s residence, he pointed a firearm at the officers and was placed under arrest, Sellinger said.

In addition to the prison term, Perez was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution to the victims of his offense.

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