A Burlington County man has been sentenced for his involvement in two armed robberies that took place in August 2022 in Passaic County, New Jersey. U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced the sentencing of Kareem Powell, 32, from Willingboro, New Jersey.
Powell received a sentence of 120 months in prison from U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi at Newark federal court on March 20, 2025. He had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
Court documents and statements reveal that on the evening of August 22, 2022, Powell and his accomplices Carlos Diaz and Edward Porter robbed a bodega in Passaic at gunpoint, threatening to kill the victim while stealing several thousand dollars. Later that night, they committed another robbery at a business in Paterson under similar circumstances.
Both Diaz and Porter have admitted their guilt concerning these incidents as well as additional robberies committed the following day in Passaic County. Their sentencings are expected later this year.
In addition to his prison term, Powell was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
U.S. Attorney Giordano acknowledged the efforts of special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' Newark Field Division under Special Agent L.C. Cheeks Jr., along with the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office led by Sheriff Thomas Adamo for their roles in investigating this case. He also thanked officers from both the Paterson Police Department and the Passaic Police Department for their contributions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett Schuman is representing the government in this case.
Powell's defense counsel is Lorraine Gauli-Rufo from Verona, New Jersey.