Brooklyn illegal migrant gets 12½ years in new jersey prison for armed home robbery

Brooklyn illegal migrant gets 12½ years in New Jersey prison for armed home robbery

Posted by
1 min read
July 21, 2025

TOMS RIVER, N.J. — A Brooklyn man has been sentenced to more than a decade in New Jersey State Prison for his role in a violent home robbery in Brick Township that left a resident injured and thousands in property stolen.

Vongvichit Vatthanavong, 50, was sentenced Friday to 12½ years by Ocean County Superior Court Judge Kenneth T. Palmer, according to Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. Vatthanavong had pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery on May 23.

Vatthanavong has an active ICE detainer and a warrant out of New York State.

The sentence is subject to the No Early Release Act, meaning Vatthanavong must serve at least 85 percent of the term — more than 10 years — before being eligible for parole.

The charges stem from a January 5, 2023 incident around 12:20 a.m., when police responded to a robbery at a home on Pershing Avenue. Authorities said the homeowner was assaulted as he exited his vehicle and was confronted by three masked men, one of whom appeared to be armed.

The suspects struck the man in the head, knocking him to the ground before stealing about $3,000 in cash, a watch, and a cellphone.

Following a yearlong investigation, detectives identified Vatthanavong as a suspect. He voluntarily appeared at Brick Township Police Headquarters on February 7, 2024, where he was taken into custody. He has remained in the Ocean County Jail since his arrest.

The two other individuals involved in the robbery have not been identified.

“A Brooklyn man has been sentenced…to twelve and one-half years New Jersey State Prison,” the prosecutor’s office stated Friday.

The case remains open as police continue to search for the remaining suspects.

Vatthanavong will serve most of his sentence behind bars before becoming eligible for parole under state law.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version