Dion Hines, Roosevelt Robinson Sentenced in Newark Carjackings

Dion Hines, 23, and Roosevelt Robinson, 25, both of Newark, New Jersey, were sentenced today to 192 and 171 months in federal prison, respectively, for a violent crime spree that terrorized residents across Essex County in September 2013. The pair, now convicted felons, each pleaded guilty to multiple counts of armed carjacking and using a firearm during a crime of violence, bringing a hard-earned measure of justice to victims who fought back in the face of terror.

The first incident unfolded on September 22, 2013, when Hines, Robinson, and an unidentified accomplice approached a Mercedes-Benz parked in a residential driveway in Newark. Hines brandished a handgun, demanded the driver exit, and when the victim complied, Robinson climbed behind the wheel. But the victim fought back, dragging Robinson from the vehicle. Hines returned and fired two shots at the fleeing car before all three suspects vanished on foot.

Just four days later, on September 26, Hines struck again—this time in a Newark parking lot. He pulled a gun on two individuals, threatened them at gunpoint, and demanded their keys. One victim surrendered the keys to a 2009 Acura sedan. Hines took the vehicle and sped off, leaving behind two traumatized witnesses.

The final carjacking occurred the next morning in Belleville, New Jersey. Hines, riding in a dark-colored SUV, had the driver block a Range Rover at an intersection. Hines exited the SUV, pointed a handgun at the driver, and yanked him from the vehicle. Robinson, following in a separate car, pulled over and acted as a lookout. Hines then fled in the stolen Range Rover, with both accomplices in tow.

U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden handed down the sentences today in Newark federal court. In addition to their prison terms, both Hines and Robinson were sentenced to five years of supervised release. The sentence reflects the severity of their crimes—acts of brazen, armed violence that targeted ordinary people in their communities.

The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the police departments of Newark, Elizabeth, and Belleville. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Jamari Buxton prosecuted the case. Hines was represented by John Yauch, Assistant Federal Public Defender; Robinson by Paul Condon, Esq., of Jersey City.