New Jersey men sentenced to prison for using assault rifles in nine gas station robberies

Two Camden men were sentenced to prison Tuesday for a series of nine gas station robberies over a two-week period and a carjacking involving an assault rifle, U.S. District Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced Tuesday.

Kamau Bradshaw, 22, and Paul Rogers, 30, both of Camden, were sentenced to prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed carjacking.

Bradshaw was sentenced Tuesday in Camden District Court to nine years in prison, while Rogers was sentenced Aug. 7 to 15 1/2 years in prison.

Bradshaw and Rogers were accused of robbing at least nine gas stations in Camden County with an AR-style rifle between August 30, 2021 and September 16, 2021, officials said.

Authorities began investigating a robbery at a Pennsauken gas station on September 14, 2021, after two masked men held up the gas station with a rifle and made off with cash and cigarettes.

According to authorities, one of the men was wearing a gray Nike sweatshirt and tan work boots. According to investigators, the other man was wearing a light brown hooded sweatshirt with distinctive lettering on the sleeves and striped boxer shorts.

The men were reportedly seen returning to an apartment in Camden with a large duffel bag, and two days later officers went to the apartment to execute a federal search warrant, officials said.

Investigators found a duffel bag, an AR-style rifle and clothing that matched the description of the suspected thieves, authorities said.

During the investigation, officers said Bradshaw and Rogers admitted to a total of nine gas station robberies in the area.

Officials said the pair admitted to robbing two gas stations on Aug. 30 – one in Haddon Township and one in Pennsauken – and committing three more robberies the next night in Bridgeton, Brooklawn and Vineland.

Bradshaw and Rogers also confessed to their roles in the Sept. 1 robbery of gas stations in Pennsauken and Haddon Township and the Sept. 16 robbery of another gas station in Haddon Township, authorities said.

Two of the gas stations were robbed more than once, and authorities said a rifle was used in each of the robberies.

Investigators also said several gas station robberies used a stolen car obtained through a carjacking with an assault rifle.

Both Bradshaw and Rogers will be required to serve three years of supervised release following their sentences.

Attorneys for the men did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.