Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey said that a 32-year-old man was sentenced today to serve life plus 14 years in prison for taking part in four armed robberies of cell phone stores in Edison and South Brunswick.
Michael Mitchell of Bristol, Pa. was sentenced to the term in New Brunswick by Superior Court Judge Barry Weisberg after the defendant was convicted on December 1, 2015 of counts of armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, theft, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
The judge said Mitchell will serve the prison term consecutively to a 25-year term he already is serving for an armed robbery in Somerset County. The defendant was credited with serving 869 days in custody since his arrest.
Mitchell was sentenced following a trial in which Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Surman presented evidence and testimony showing the defendant was among three individuals who robbed cell phone stores in Edison on December 8, 2011, January 5, 2012 and January 12, 2012 and in South Brunswick on December 19, 2011.
Mitchell was arrested and charged following an investigation by Detective Theodore Hamer, Detective Sgt. Frank Todd and Detective Steve Todd, all of the Edison Police Department, and Detective Roger Tuohy of the South Brunswick Police Department.
The defendant’s step brother, Mack Mitchell, 22, of Bristol, Pa., pleaded guilty prior to trial and has been sentenced to serve 26 years in prison.
Another co-defendant, Emendo Bowers, 28, of the Somerset section of Franklin Township, also pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to serve 15 years.
Both Mack Mitchell and Bowers must serve 85 percent of their sentences before they can be eligible for parole.
Photo: Edison Police