Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging BHUPINDERJIT SINGH, ELIJAIH ROMAN, COREY HALL, ERIK SUAREZ, and DIVYA KUMARI with perpetrating a gun-point home invasion robbery of the home of a small business owner in Orange County, New York. The defendants were arrested today, and will be presented in White Plains federal court before the Hon. Victoria Reznik, United States Magistrate Judge.
Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “Bhupinderjit Singh and his co-defendants allegedly planned and executed a violent robbery, during which four children watched as their parents were zip tied and held at gunpoint while four men ransacked their home looking for money and valuables. Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors of this Office, the defendants will now face charges stemming from this brazen robbery.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “These five defendants participated in a robbery in which a firearm was brandished to gain unauthorized entry into a family’s home and steal valuable jewelry and thousands of dollars. This alleged forceful intrusion violated the privacy and security expected inside one’s home, and terrorized four young children left to helplessly beg for the safety of their restrained parents. The FBI will continue to apprehend any individual who utilizes weapons to intimidate victims to fulfill their criminal agenda.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed on January 15, 2025, in White Plains federal court and unsealed today:
On or about December 1, 2024, SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, SUAREZ, and KUMARI perpetrated a gun-point home invasion robbery in the vicinity of the Town of Wallkill, New York. When they arrived at the house, SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ forced the homeowner (“Victim-1”) and Victim-1’s daughter, who is approximately 10 years old, into the house at gunpoint. When SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ entered the home, Victim-1’s wife was sitting with the couple’s other three children, who ranged from approximately two to nine years old. SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ then zip tied the hands and legs of both Victim-1 and his wife and placed the couple on the couch next to their children. Three of the four robbers then began to search throughout the house, while the fourth robber remained with Victim-1 and his family, armed with what appeared to be a small black pistol. At one point, Victim-1’s daughter begged the robbers to not hurt her parents and indicated that she would tell them where the family stored their valuables. Certain of the robbers then took Victim-1’s daughter to the house’s master bedroom where there was a safe, but Victim-1’s daughter was unable to get the safe open. The robbers then took Victim-1’s daughter back to her parents and forced Victim-1’s wife to come with them instead. Once in the bedroom, Victim-1’s wife opened the safe and watched as the robbers removed from it, among other items, numerous pieces of jewelry and approximately $10,000 in U.S. currency. While the robbery was ongoing, KUMARI was waiting in the vicinity of Victim-1’s house to act as a lookout. Eventually, SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ left Victitm-1’s house with various stolen items, including the jewelry and U.S. currency stolen from the safe.
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SINGH, 26, of South Ozone Park, New York; ROMAN, 22, of Far Rockaway, New York; HALL, 45, of Saint Albans, New York; SUAREZ, 24, of Elmhurst, New York; and KUMARI, 26, of Massapequa, New York, are all charged with one count of Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ are additionally charged with one count of using, carrying, possessing, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, as well as the assistance of the Town of Wallkill Police Department and the New York State Police.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S Attorney David A. Markewitz is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.