By: Najla Alexander
Image Credit: NJ.com
Authorities in Hudson County announced that on Tuesday, October 28, the Honorable John Young, J.S.C., sentenced a Bergen County man to 33 years in New Jersey State Prison for a string of armed robberies that occurred throughout Hudson County in 2022. 
Acting Hudson County Prosecutor Wayne Mello stated that Joel Krecz, 38, of Hackensack, was convicted at trial of four counts of Armed Robbery, one count of robbery, five counts of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, five counts of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, five counts of Theft, one count of Aggravated Assault, one count of Possession of Prohibited Weapons (ample capacity ammunition), and one count of Possession of Prohibited Weapons (hollow point bullets); He was found not guilty of one count of Aggravated Assault.
The sentence is subject to the No Early Release Act and the Graves Act, HCPO officials say. The State was represented at sentencing by Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Kenneth Paulus.
The charges stem from four armed robberies that were reported between the late-night hours of Friday, April 29, 2022, and the early morning hours of Saturday, April 30, 2022, according to Hudson County officials.
In each incident, Hudson County officials said, a handgun was brandished, and money was demanded from the clerk working at a business.
Hudson County officials say that a joint investigation by the Jersey City Police Department, Union City Police Department, Secaucus Police Department, Hoboken Police Department, and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Gangs Task Force identified Krecz as the individual wanted in connection with:
• The robbery of a liquor store on Summit Avenue in Union City on Saturday, April 30, 2022
• The robbery of a gas station on Route 3 in Secaucus on Saturday, April 30, 2022
• The robbery of a business on Paterson Plank Road in Union City on Saturday, April 30,
2022
• The robbery of a liquor store on Willow Avenue in Hoboken on Saturday, April 30, 2022
Krecz was arrested in Jersey City, while in possession of a handgun, on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, HCPO officials stated.