By John Burton
TRENTON – A federal grand jury today handed up an 11-count indicted for a Neptune man who allegedly shot a cabdriver and committed a string of armed robberies, including a Red Bank gas station, during a 24-hour period.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Office said Quam Wilson, 23, was charged with five counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon and five counts of a Hobbs Act robbery. The Hobbs act is a federal statute that concerns acts of criminal violence that affects commerce.
Wilson’s alleged crime spree took place last Nov. 12-14 and started with the shooting and robbing of a cabdriver in Asbury Park, who survived his injuries and had his identification and debit card stolen, authorities said.
Authorities charge that Wilson proceeded to an Ocean Township Shell gas station where he used a handgun to rob the station attendant. Later that morning, Wilson allegedly retrieved money from the cabdriver’s bank account from several banks. At one of the locations, a bank employee became suspicious and confiscated the identification and debit card and contacted police, the attorney’s office said.
At about 9 p.m. that day Wilson is alleged to have committed an armed robbery at a Long Branch taxi stand. Early morning on Nov. 14 he is accused of robbing an Exxon gas station in Red Bank at gunpoint, federal law-enforcement charged.
Asbury Park police arrested Wilson at 10 p.m. Nov. 14 in an attic where he was hiding.
Wilson remains in federal custody.
