Additional Charges, Additional Defendants In Allentown Armed Robberies

PHILADELPHIA – A superseding indictment was unsealed today charging six people in a robbery conspiracy that took place in Allentown, PA, and included seven robberies over a month-long period.  Jacob Pabon, 19, and Lytic Fauntleroy, 19, were charged in December 2015 with robbery which interferes with interstate commerce, and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence in connection with two of the charged robberies. The superseding indictment adds conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, five additional counts of Hobbs Act robbery, five additional counts of use of a firearm in relation to a violent crime, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.  The superseding indictment also adds four defendants to the case.

Charged with Pabon and Fauntleroy in the conspiracy count are: Victor Morales, 21, Ruben Tarrats, 23, of Allentown, PA, Adrian Tosado, 22, also of Allentown, PA, and Jose Rapalo, 20, of Bethlehem, PA. A fifth defendant, Kairashaad Johnson, 21, of Allentown, PA, is charged in one of the robberies.

According to the indictment, the defendants robbed seven businesses, in May of 2015 in the city of Allentown, PA.  Those robberies include: the May 7, 2015 robbery of Sun’s Deli at 1341 Union Street (Pabon, Tarrats, Tosado) and of North 7^th Market and Bakery (Morales, Fauntleroy, Pabon, Tosado); the May 14, 2015 robbery of Betty Mini Market at 922 Chew Street (Morales, Tarrats, Rapalo); the May 21, 2015 robbery at 10^th Street Market (Pabon, Rapalo, Johnson); the May 26, 2015 robbery of M&J Market at 448 North 2^nd Street (Morale, Fauntleroy, Tarrats, Rapalo) and the Dominguez Food Market at 517 West Gordon Street (Morales, Fauntleroy, Tarrats); and the May 29, 2015 robbery of Speedway at 1043 Lehigh Street, (Fauntleroy, Pabon, Tarrats).  In each robbery, the alleged robbers are also charged with using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence.  Morales is charged as a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.  According to the indictment, the defendants used some of the robbery proceeds to pay rent on a house at 324 North Law Street, in Allentown, which they used as a stash house for their firearms.

“Thanks to the diligent work of the Allentown Police Department and ATF agents, a violent robbery crew has been dismantled,” said U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger. “My office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to keep the citizens of this district safe.” 

“Dangerous people who commit dangerous crimes with firearms will be dealt with and brought to justice,” said ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Sam Rabadi. “ATF will work together with our State and local partners to target and arrest armed robbery gangs who threaten the safety of our homes, our businesses, and our neighborhoods.”

“I would like to thank the officers and detectives who spent countless hours investigating these robberies and for the assistance from the ATF,” said Allentown Police Chief Keith Morris. “Their diligence paid off and we were able to take some very violent individuals off the streets.”

If convicted of all counts, Tarrats faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 107 years in prison; Fauntleroy, Pabon, and Morales each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 82 years in prison; Rapalo faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 57 years in prison; Tosado faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 32 years in prison; and Johnson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison; each faces a maximum sentence of life, plus possible fines, supervised release, and special assessments.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Allentown Police Department and the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric A. Boden.

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.