News
Township Man Pleads Guilty To Dunkin' Donuts Robberies
By John Burton
MIDDLETOWN - A township man, who had been charged with the last December armed robbery of two local Dunkin' Donut stores, pleaded guilty to those and other charges this week.
Brandon Sandford, 26, pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery before Superior Court Judge Ira E. Kreizman in Freehold on Monday, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, Sandford robbed two of the stores located in |the Bayshore section of the township last Dec. 26 and 27.
Sanford entered the Dunkin' Donuts at 103 Leonardville Road, Belford, at about 6:17 p.m., where he checked out the location, before leaving and returning wearing a mask, which concealed his face, along with a hooded jacket, gloves and sunglasses. In addition to the disguise, Sanford used a handgun to demand money from the stores' employees.
Sanford repeated his actions the next day, when he entered the Dunkin' Donuts at 130 West Route 36, in Leonardo. Both businesses were equipped with video surveillance equipment, which documented Sandford's actions, according to authorities.
Middletown police's investigation led officers to Sandford's residence where they found the handgun used in the robberies, according to the prosecutor's office.
Sandford was arrested last Dec. 29 and was being held in lieu of $200,000 bail at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, Freehold. He is currently being held at the county facility until his Aug. 7 sentencing before Kreizman, the Prosecutor's Office said.
Along with the two armed robbery offences, Sandford pleaded guilty this week to one count of third degree receiving stolen property and three counts of third degree burglary, arising from incidents occurring in Middletown, Aberdeen and Matawan.
Under the plea agreement struck by county authorities and the defendant, Sandford will serve two 12-year terms concurrently for the armed robbery offences, and because of the No Early Release Act, he will have to serve at least 85 percent of the term before being considered for parole, according to authorities.
For the other offenses, Sandford will serve five-year terms for each of those charges, to be served concurrently.
Sandford had waived his right to a grand jury review of his charges. A defendant has the right to not undergo the grand jury process to determine if there is probable cause to bring an indictment, as long as the defendant appears before a judge and is deemed to understand the actions.
In the absence of the grand jury indictment, authorities used the accusation process to bring forth Sandford's indictment, the Prosecutor's Office said.
