Smashburger Bandit Gets 18 Years in Prison

A Newark man was sentenced Wednesday to more than 18 years in prison for 14 armed robberies during a six-month span in Northern New Jersey.

Jamar Darby, aka “Rhino,” 27, was sentenced to 225 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robberies and for brandishing a firearm during one of the incidents, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Darby conspired with others to commit 14 robberies in Union, Essex, Hudson and Bergen counties between December 2012 and May 2013, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Darby and his accomplices robbed each business at gunpoint and stole cash, cigarettes and other items, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

They used zip ties or duct tape to restrain their victims in 13 of the 14 incidents, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Darby and an accomplice restrained several victims with duct tape after threatening one of them with a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun during the February 2013 incident at Pat’s Deli, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Darby was also sentenced Wednesday to three years supervised release and was ordered to pay $73,324 in restitution.