ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced Tuesday that Jonathan Middlebrooks, 22, Nasir Perez, 20, and Deborah Siegel-Edelman, 22, all of Rochester, NY, who were convicted of aiding and abetting Hobbs Act Robbery, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Defendants Middlebrooks and Perez were also convicted of aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm that was discharged during a crime of violence. Defendant Perez was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison; defendant Middlebrooks was sentenced to serve 188 months in prison; and defendant Siegel-Edelman was sentenced to serve 144 months in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean C. Eldridge, who handled the case, stated that Middlebrooks, Perez, and Siegel-Edelman took part in a series of gunpoint robberies at stores in the City of Rochester between September 3, 2017, and September 23, 2017:
· On September 3, 2017, Perez and Middlebrooks committed a gunpoint robbery of the Hudson Save More on Hudson Avenue. Together with co-conspirators Damien Rutledge and Dylan Miller, Perez acted as a lookout at the front door while Middlebrooks removed approximately $1,420 from the store’s cash registers;
· On September 14, 2017, during a gunpoint robbery of the 18 Hour Store on North Goodman Street, Middlebrooks and Perez, along with co-defendants Miller and Rutledge, removed approximately $500 from the store’s cash register, while defendant Siegel-Edelman served as the getaway driver;
· On September 18, 2017, during a gunpoint robbery of the Four Star Market on Lake Avenue, Middlebrooks and Perez, along with co-defendants Miller and Rutledge, removed approximately $2,650 from the store’s cash register, while defendant Siegel-Edelman served as the getaway driver;
· On September 23, 2017, during a gunpoint robbery of the Bronx Market on Brown Street, Middlebrooks and Perez, along with co-defendants Miller and Rutledge, removed approximately $900 from the store’s cash register, while defendant Siegel-Edelman served as the getaway driver;
· Also on September 23, 2017, Siegel-Edelman drove Middlebrooks and Perez, along with co-defendants Miller and Rutledge, to the Greyhound Express Mini Mart on Carter Street. Middlebrooks, Perez, Miller, and Rutledge entered the store, a gun was pointed at the store owner, and after a struggle between the store owner and one the robbers, a store employee removed the robber’s gun from the robber’s hand. The store employee then pointed the gun at Middlebrooks, who put his hands up, but also moved forward towards the store employee. After Middlebrooks took several steps towards the employee, the employee fired the gun, and the discharged round hit Middlebrooks in the stomach. Middlebrooks, Perez, Miller and Rutledge got back into Siegel-Edelman’s car, and she drove them away from the scene of the attempted robbery.
Charges remain pending against defendants Dylan Miller and Damien Rutledge. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The sentencings are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the Rochester Area Major Crimes Task Force and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli.