PHILADELPHIA, PA — The streets of Philadelphia are a little safer today as two men responsible for a terrifying crime wave have pleaded guilty. Angel Fayez, 19, and Kevin Antun, 20, both from Philadelphia, confessed to one count of carjacking, eight counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of carrying and using a firearm during a violent crime.
The duo was slapped with these charges in March 2023 following a series of gunpoint robberies of businesses in the Kensington and Lower Northeast sections of Philadelphia.
Their two-week crime spree saw them steal approximately $3,613 from a range of small businesses between November 22, 2022, and December 3, 2022. Their reign of terror included:
- A carjacking at Liberty gas station on Kensington Avenue
- Robbing the Dollar General on E. Erie Avenue
- Two separate robberies at Popeyes locations on Adams Avenue and Aramingo Avenue
- Robbing Texas Chicken and Burger on Kensington Avenue
- Two separate robberies at Wingstop locations on Aramingo Avenue and Cottman Avenue
- Raiding Domino’s Pizza on Oxford Avenue
“Fayez and Antun terrorized the community with their brazen gunpoint crimes, at times committing multiple armed robberies in the same day,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. “Taking repeat offenders like these off the street is a priority for my office and our law enforcement partners, as we work to crack down on violent crime in Philadelphia and keep the public safe.”
Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Office, added, “During their vicious crime spree, Fayez and Antun showed a complete disregard for public safety after carjacking an innocent woman and threatening multiple store employees with firearms.”
“The brazen carjacking that initiated this crime spree and the violence used throughout these robberies put our community members at a real risk,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel. “I applaud the collaborative efforts of the Philadelphia Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Attorney’s Office that brought these individuals to justice. This case again demonstrates our commitment to tackling carjackings and gun violence that plague our city. We will continue to relentlessly pursue those who choose to terrorize our neighborhoods and ensure they face the full force of the law.”
The guilty pleas precede a sentencing date set for May 29, 2024, for Fayez and May 30, 2024, for Antun before Judge Juan R. Sanchez.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that combines all levels of law enforcement and communities to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. In 2017, the Department of Justice revitalized PSN, focusing on targeting violent criminals and encouraging all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney David Osborne.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.