A Westerville, Ohio, man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for his alleged role in a June 2016 armed robbery of a retail store in Orange, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Authorities said Frederick A. White, 43, is charged by indictment with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
He has been in custody since his arrest in June 2016.
According to the indictment and other documents filed in this case:
In the afternoon of June 11, 2016, White allegedly entered a mobile communications company retail store in Orange wearing a wig and brandishing a handgun.
White stole cash from an employee of the store and fled.
White was arrested shortly afterwards when he attempted to evade the Orange Police Department on foot and was charged by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office with robbery and firearms offenses.
He was charged by federal criminal complaint on Nov. 10, 2016 in Newark federal court.
White was previously convicted in Newark federal court of armed carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in 1993.
The count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison based on White’s prior conviction for the same offense, and that sentence must be consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
The Hobbs Act charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense.
The felon in possession of a firearm charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, and members of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.
He also thanked the Orange Police Department for their assistance.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.