Victory Gardens Man Charged with Multiple Counts of Armed Robbery in Connection with Gas Station Robberies

Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Roxbury Township Police Chief James Simonetti, and Denville Township Police Chief Christopher Wagner have announced that Abner O. Irias-Paz, 24 of Victory Gardens, has been charged with multiple counts of armed robbery.

 During the months of May and June, multiple armed robberies of area gas stations occurred in Roxbury and Denville. Through a collaborative investigation, Irias-Paz was developed as a police suspect. 

Irias-Paz was taken into custody early this morning (Aug. 14) as he was observed leaving his residence. The arrest was the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Roxbury and Denville and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Intelligence Unit.

Irias-Paz was charged with three counts of robbery, which is a first degree offense; three counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, a second degree offense; three counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, a second degree offense; three counts of theft, which is a third degree offense; and three counts of terroristic threats, a third degree offense.

Superior Court Judge James M. DeMarzo set bail at $300,000, with no 10 percent option. A bail source hearing requirement, waiver of extradition, and surrender of passport were further conditions of the bail. Irias-Paz was remanded to the Morris County Correctional Facility.

The investigation is active and ongoing. No other information is being released at this time.

Prosecutor Knapp said participants in the investigation included Roxbury and Denville Police Departments,, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Intelligence Unit, Morris County Sheriff’s Office, and Randolph Police Department.

Inquiries can be directed to Morris County Deputy Chief of Investigations Denise H. Arseneault at 973-285-6262 or darseneault@co.morris.nj.us