A Mercer County man is facing charges related to three armed robberies of Mercer County businesses, including one in which he allegedly caused the death of a victim, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
Paul X. McNeil, 38, of Trenton, was charged with multiple offenses, including conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, three counts of Hobbs Act robbery, murder during a crime of violence, and firearm-related charges. The Hobbs act is a federal law that prohibits actual or attempted robbery or extortion affecting interstate or foreign commerce.
McNeil recently appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni in federal court to face the charges
According to court documents and statements by authorities, on Sept. 30, 2022, McNeil and a co-conspirator robbed an employee of an auto recycling shop in Ewing as they were in the process of collecting the shop’s cash proceeds.
McNeil allegedly pointed a gun at the employee and he and the co-conspirator then took $150,000 of the shop’s cash proceeds and the employee’s lawfully registered firearm. Later that day, McNeil purchased a new car, making a $9,500 down payment using all $100 bills.
On Aug, 10, 2023, McNeil allegedly followed the owner of a Trenton cannabis shop from the business to the owner’s residence in Lawrence Township. Moments after the cannabis shop owner entered their home, McNeil followed the owner into the residence and robbed them of the cannabis shop’s cash proceeds which the owner had carried into the residence.
According to the victim’s spouse, who was in the residence at the time of the crime, the owner stated to McNeil, “No, no, no … please, here, you can have it,” moments before McNeil shot and killed the owner.
In addition McNeil also stole jewelry that the victim was wearing at the time of the robbery. Photographs recovered from McNeil’s cellphone depict McNeil wearing the owner’s jewelry, which was recovered later from McNeil’s vehicle.
In another incident on Sept. 23, 2023, McNeil allegedly entered the home of a house-flipping business owner in Ewing. Law enforcement said that entering the residence, McNeil encountered three victims, including two minors. The owner of the business was not home at the time.
McNeil is said to have pointed a handgun at the three victims and demanded money. He then bound the victims’ hands behind their backs with zip ties and forced them at gunpoint into the basement while he searched the residence.
McNeil took some $4,500 in cash proceeds from the house-flipping business as well as personal items belonging to the business owner and the three victims. Law enforcement later recovered about $4,000 in cash and some of the personal items from McNeil’s residence.
“These charges allege that the defendant targeted several local business owners for robbery and murdered one of them,” said U.S. Attorney Sellinger. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, together with its federal and local law enforcement partners, will spare no effort to investigate and prosecute violent offenders who target the businesses and residents of New Jersey.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson Delgado said, “We allege McNeil went into a Ewing business, held it up at gunpoint, and while the owner was attempting to hand over money McNeil shot and killed him. We also have evidence showing he also took part in several other brutal attacks and robberies. Violent offenders should take this investigation as a warning that the FBI Newark and our law enforcement partners are pursuing criminals who believe they can act with impunity and not face justice.”
McNeil faces the possibility of life in prison or the death penalty for the murder charge. The counts of Hobbs Act robbery and conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison.
The brandishing and discharging of a firearm during and in relation to a violent crime counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of life in prison. The brandishing count has a mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years in prison and the discharging count has a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 year in prison, which sentences must run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment imposed. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000.
The investigation involved the FBI’s Newark office, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Ewing Police Department.
McNeil remains in custody, and the charges against him are accusations at this stage. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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