Ali Chandler, Violent Home Invasion Robberies, Pennsylvania 2021

PHILADELPHIA – A violent home invasion has shaken the community in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On November 13, 2021, a 61-year-old male victim and his 65-year-old female partner were targeted in their home by four armed perpetrators.

The robbers, who had conducted prior surveillance to determine where the family lived, stormed in and struck the victims multiple times in the head, causing injuries. They then forced the victims to the ground at gunpoint and fled the scene with a backpack containing the victims’ daughter’s credit/debit cards and ID.

A second home invasion occurred on December 4, 2021, targeting an employee of an area store. The perpetrators, who had spent weeks casing the store, followed the victim home and identified her house. On the night of the robbery, they arrived ahead of the victim and broke in, zip-tying her to a chair and pistol whipping her in the face, causing head injuries, including a gash requiring stitches and a concussion.

The perpetrators made off with a safe containing cash, coins, and jewelry. Ali Chandler, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his co-defendant Abdullah Hartage were charged by superseding indictment in October 2022 with conspiracy to commit robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and two counts of committing or threatening physical violence in furtherance of a plan or purpose to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery.

Chandler pleaded guilty in October 2024 to the charges. On [3/10/2023], United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez sentenced Chandler to 210 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $60,000 in restitution for his role in the violent home invasion robberies.

The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Montgomery Township Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Doherty.

A co-defendant, Abdullah Hartage, was sentenced in January to 18 years in prison for his role in the robberies.

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