Middlesex County Individual Pleads Guilty in Violent New Brunswick Robbery Case

A local man faces up to 20 years in prison after admitting to a 2020 attempted robbery that left the victim critically injured.

Middlesex County, NJ – Jonathan Rosales, a 23-year-old resident of New Brunswick, Middlesex County, has entered a guilty plea for his involvement in a grievous attempted robbery incident, as disclosed by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. The plea was made before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in the Trenton federal court, addressing charges of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and the attempted execution of the same.

The case, rooted in a violent episode on December 28, 2020, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, saw Rosales and his associates, Saul Peralta and Giovanni Hoyos-Jaimes, engage in an attempted robbery. The confrontation escalated dramatically, resulting in the victim being shot 14 times and sustaining severe injuries. The details of the case, highlighted in court documents and during Rosales’s admission, shed light on a meticulously planned criminal endeavor that went awry, leading to tragic outcomes.

Peralta and Hoyos-Jaimes, Rosales’s co-conspirators, have also acknowledged their roles in the incident, having previously entered guilty pleas before Judge Kirsch. The collective admissions underscore the gravity of the crime and its consequences for all involved.

With sentencing for Rosales set for June 10, 2024, the charges carry a significant maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count, alongside potential fines up to $250,000, or double the pecuniary gain or loss from the offenses. This case stands as a stark reminder of the severe repercussions of engaging in violent criminal acts and the relentless efforts of law enforcement to bring offenders to justice.

The investigation, leading to Rosales’s guilty plea, was a collaborative endeavor involving the FBI's Newark office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; the New Brunswick Police Department, led by Chief Vincent Sabo; and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone. The cooperative efforts of these agencies were pivotal in uncovering the details of the attempted robbery and ensuring accountability.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the National Security Unit in Newark represents the government in this case, highlighting the federal commitment to prosecuting violent crimes and upholding public safety. As the community awaits Rosales’s sentencing, the resolution of this case serves as a testament to the judicial system’s capacity to address and penalize criminal conduct, reinforcing the rule of law.