Abdullah Hartage, a 28-year-old Philadelphia resident, has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for his role in two violent home invasion robberies that targeted business owners and employees. The sentence, handed down by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez, also includes five years of supervised release and an order to pay $60,000 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements, Hartage and codefendant Ali Chandler were charged by superseding indictment in October 2022. Both pleaded guilty in October 2024 to conspiracy to commit robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and two counts of committing or threatening physical violence as part of the plan. Chandler is still awaiting sentencing.
The first incident occurred on November 13, 2021. Hartage, Chandler, and others conducted surveillance on their intended victims—owners of a local business—and waited outside until closing time. After following the family home, they arrived before the victims did. When the family entered their garage, four armed perpetrators stormed inside. One gunman struck the 61-year-old male victim several times in the head and forced him to the ground; another forced the daughter down at gunpoint; a third forced the 65-year-old female victim from the garage into her home at gunpoint while striking her repeatedly in the head. Injuries were reported among all three victims. The group fled after a security alarm sounded but took with them a backpack containing credit cards and identification.
A second robbery took place on December 4, 2021. This time, Hartage, Chandler, and others targeted an employee of an area store after weeks of surveillance that included following her home from work. On the night of this attack, three armed men broke into her house shortly after she arrived home; one told her “I know where you work.” The 68-year-old victim was zip-tied to a chair and pistol whipped in the face—resulting in injuries requiring stitches and causing a concussion—before her safe containing cash, coins, and jewelry was stolen.
Hartage had previously served more than two years in state prison for similar crimes targeting business owners and was still on probation when he committed these offenses.
“This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Montgomery Township Police Department,” said United States Attorney David Metcalf. “It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Doherty.”
