Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to 2023 Armed Robbery in Brick Township

Vongvichit Vatthanavong, a 50-year-old man from Brooklyn, New York, has pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery for an incident that occurred on January 5, 2023, in Brick Township, New Jersey. Vatthanavong and two unidentified accomplices approached a homeowner as he was entering his residence, with one suspect armed with what appeared to be a handgun; the victim was struck in the head and robbed of approximately $3,000, a watch, and a cellphone. After a year-long investigation, Vatthanavong voluntarily appeared for questioning in February 2024 and was subsequently taken into custody, remaining detained at Ocean County Jail since then. Prosecutors are seeking a 12.5-year prison sentence for Vatthanavong, who is also subject to an immigration detainer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The other two suspects involved in the robbery have not yet been identified. The case was handled by Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Burke and involved coordinated efforts from multiple law enforcement agencies.