United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Rubiel Perez, a 30-year-old resident of Allentown, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty to charges related to an armed robbery spree in Lehigh County in March 2023. The plea was entered before United States District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl.
Perez faced charges including two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. These charges stem from incidents occurring over two nights at different convenience stores.
According to the indictment and Perez's admissions, on March 28, 2023, he robbed a 7-Eleven store on Union Boulevard in Allentown at gunpoint, stealing $937. The following night, he targeted another 7-Eleven on South 4th Street in Allentown and stole $150 after threatening an employee with a handgun. Later that night, he attempted another robbery at a 7-Eleven on West Tilghman Street in South Whitehall Township by pointing a firearm at an employee.
Perez is set for sentencing on July 10 and could face up to life imprisonment. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years.
The investigation involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Allentown Police Department, and the South Whitehall Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert W. Schopf is prosecuting the case.
