A Brooklyn man has pleaded guilty to robbery in connection with a violent home invasion that occurred in Brick Township in January 2023, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced.
Vongvichit Vatthanavong, 50, entered his guilty plea on May 23 before Superior Court Judge Kenneth T. Palmer. Prosecutors will seek a 12.5-year sentence in New Jersey State Prison under the No Early Release Act when Vatthanavong is sentenced on July 18.
According to investigators, the incident took place shortly after midnight on January 5, 2023, when the victim was attacked while entering his home on Pershing Avenue. Police say three masked individuals — one reportedly armed with a handgun — confronted the homeowner, striking him in the head and stealing approximately $3,000 in cash, a watch, and a cellphone before fleeing the scene.
Following a year-long investigation by the Brick Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Vatthanavong was identified as a suspect. He voluntarily appeared at Brick Police Headquarters on February 7, 2024, where he was taken into custody and charged. He has remained at the Ocean County Jail since his arrest.
Authorities said the two other individuals involved in the robbery have not yet been identified, and the investigation remains ongoing.
