NORRISTOWN >> Convicted of three armed robberies in Pottstown and Norristown, a Philadelphia man is on his way to state prison.
Kenneth Jones Jr., 32, of the 1400 block of South 27th Street, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 19 1/2 to 39 years in state prison in connection with an armed robbery spree that occurred in Pottstown and Norristown on Dec. 8, 2015.
The sentence was imposed by Judge Steven T. O’Neill, who presided over the March trial at which a jury convicted Jones of charges of robbery, recklessly endangering others, receiving stolen property, access device fraud and possessing an instrument of crime in connection with the crime spree.
The jury acquitted Jones of similar robbery-related charges in connection with one armed robbery in Abington that prosecutors alleged occurred on the same day. In acquitting Jones of the alleged Abington armed robbery, the jury appeared to be swayed by the fact that one of the victims of that robbery could not identify Jones as the robber when he testified in court.
The victims in the Pottstown and Norristown robberies did identify Jones as the assailant when they testified.
County Assistant District Attorney Laura Bradbury sought state prison time against Jones. At trial, Bradbury alleged Jones “terrorized” the victims by using a gun to intimidate and threaten them. Bradbury alleged the robberies were motivated by greed.
During the trial, defense lawyer Aaron Kostyk implied the victims’ identifications of Jones as the assailant were unreliable and that the case “is about a flawed investigation.” Kostyk also argued authorities had no fingerprints or DNA evidence to link Jones to the four armed robberies.
Jurors viewed video surveillance footage of Jones at a Wal-Mart and at two Wawa stores trying to use one victim’s debit card to purchase items. Kostyk conceded that Jones used the victim’s stolen debit card but suggested Jones was not the person who actually robbed the victim of the card.
Jones’s crime spree began about 3:50 a.m. Dec. 8 when he approached a man walking in the area of Lafayette and Stanbridge streets in Norristown, produced a black handgun and robbed the victim of his wallet, according to a criminal complaint filed by Norristown Detective Charles Leeds. Jones later made successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the victim’s debit card at Wal-Mart and Wawa stores, according to testimony.
At 9:50 a.m. Dec. 8, Jones was in Pottstown and approached a man waiting for a bus in the 900 block of East High Street, showed the victim the butt of a handgun and demanded the victim’s cellphone and debit card, according to court papers. Jones allegedly told the man, “Don’t make me pull this out, I have children to feed,” as he showed the victim a gun in his waistband. When the victim told Jones he had only four dollars for the bus, Jones allegedly stated, “Keep it, it’s not worth it,” before fleeing, court papers indicate.
Jones returned to Norristown and at 10:45 a.m. Dec. 8 he approached a woman on a parking lot in the 1200 block of West Main Street, lifted up his sweatshirt to display a revolver tucked in his waistband and demanded the woman’s valuables, according to court papers. When the woman screamed, Jones fled from the area on foot.
When detectives from Norristown and Pottstown noticed similarities in their cases they compared information and they were able to develop Jones as the lone suspect.
When Pottstown Detective Michael Glauner provided video surveillance footage, recorded around the time of the Pottstown robbery, to Norristown detectives investigating the robbery at Lafayette and Stanbridge streets, investigators were able to identify a gray Nissan Altima vehicle as a potential link to each of the crimes.
Specifically, officials determined the vehicle observed in the area of the Pottstown robbery was observed at a Wal-Mart and Wawa in Upper Merion and at a Wawa in Bridgeport between 4 a.m. and 4:37 a.m., where Jones attempted to use a debit card he stole from the Norristown victim.
With the help of county detectives who analyzed the video surveillance footage, investigators were able to identify the Altima’s registration plate and subsequently link the Altima to Jones, according to testimony.
Jones was acquitted of the fourth robbery of which prosecutors accused him, a 2:10 p.m. Dec. 8 incident in the 2300 block of Susquehanna Road in Abington. Jones allegedly forced his way into a home, produced a black revolver and stated to two male victims “Give me the money or I will shoot you,” according to a criminal complaint filed by Abington Detective Robert Hill Jr. Jones allegedly got away with some cash and a debit card before fleeing from the residence in a silver sedan.
However, Kostyk pointed out that one of the victims of the Abington robbery could not positively identify Jones during trial testimony.
