Ali Chandler, a 30-year-old from Philadelphia, was sentenced on April 15 to 210 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $60,000 in restitution for his role in two violent home invasion robberies that targeted business owners and employees. United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez handed down the sentence following Chandler's guilty plea.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about violent crimes targeting individuals associated with local businesses. According to United States Attorney David Metcalf, Chandler's actions involved significant planning and resulted in serious injuries to the victims.
Chandler and co-defendant Abdullah Hartage were charged by superseding indictment in October 2022. Both pleaded guilty in October 2024 to conspiracy to commit robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) as well as two counts related to committing or threatening violence during these crimes. Hartage received an 18-year prison sentence earlier this year.
Court records show that on November 13, 2021, Chandler, Hartage, and others surveilled their intended victims' business before following them home. The group waited at the residence ahead of the family’s arrival and forced entry into their garage at gunpoint. During the incident, a male victim was struck multiple times in the head; another gunman forced his daughter to the ground while a third assailant assaulted a female victim before fleeing after triggering a security alarm.
A second robbery occurred on December 4, 2021 when Chandler’s group targeted an employee of another area store after weeks of surveillance. The perpetrators broke into her home soon after she arrived and zip-tied her to a chair while pistol-whipping her face—causing injuries requiring stitches—and stole valuables including cash and jewelry.
The investigation was conducted by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency along with Pennsylvania State Police and Montgomery Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Doherty prosecuted the case.
