Brooklyn Man Sentenced For January 2023 Brick Township Armed Robbery

Tuesday, July 22, 2025, 7:45 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

BRICK TOWNSHIP, NJ.- Last Friday, a 50-year-old Brooklyn, New York, man, and an apparent illegal immigrant, learned he would be spending over the next decade in New Jersey State Prison after being sentenced for his role in a violent armed robbery that occurred in January 2023, in Brick Township, New Jersey.

     According to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, on Friday, July 18, 2025, Vongvichit Vatthanavong, also known as “David Lee” and “Robert Lee,” 50, of Brooklyn, New York, appeared in Ocean County Superior Court and was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Kenneth T. Palmer to twelve and one-half years in State Prison, subject to the No Early Release Act, which will require Vatthanavong to serve 85% of his custodial term before becoming eligible for parole.

Vatthanavong Pleads Guilty To The Charge

     On May 23, 2025, Vatthanavong appeared before Judge Palmer and pleaded guilty to Robbery for his role in the January 5, 2023, early morning armed robbery of a homeowner as he was entering his Brick Township, New Jersey home.

     According to the charging documents filed in the Superior Court, on January 5, 2023, shortly before 12:30 a.m., members of the Brick Township Police Department responded to a 911 Emergency Call reporting a robbery that had occurred at a Pershing Avenue residence in the Township.

     Upon arrival, Police Officers were informed by the victim, the homeowner of the residence, that as he exited his vehicle and was walking to his residence, he was approached by three masked individuals. One of the masked individuals appeared to have a handgun. One of the individuals struck the victim in the head, knocking him to the ground. The three suspects then stole around $3,000 in cash, a watch, and a cellular phone, before the three fled the scene.

     During the ensuing investigation over the next year, Detectives of the Brick Township Police Department were able to identify Vatthanavong as one of the masked suspects in the robbery. Vatthanavong voluntarily appeared at the Brick Township Police Department for questioning on February 7, 2024. Following questioning, Detectives arrested and charged Vatthanavong for his role in the robbery.

The Other Two Suspects Remain At Large

     Following being charged, Vatthanavong was lodged in the Ocean County Jail and has remained in custody since his arrest. The other two suspects in the robbery have yet to be identified.