Executive Summary
- Aaron L. Watson, 42, was sentenced to 27 years in state prison for the 2023 armed robbery of H&K Liquors in Vineland, New Jersey.
- The Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office utilized digital evidence, including cellphone photos of the gun and stolen liquor, to link Watson to the crime.
- Watson was convicted in September of first-degree robbery, aggravated assault, and weapons charges.
- The sentence includes a mandatory five-year period of parole supervision following release.
VINELAND, N.J. – A Philadelphia man has been sentenced to 27 years in state prison for the 2023 armed robbery of a liquor store in Cumberland County, according to authorities.
Aaron L. Watson, 42, was sentenced on December 5 following his conviction for the robbery of H&K Liquors on North Main Road in Vineland. According to a statement from the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, Watson entered the establishment on January 15, 2023, armed with a handgun.
Prosecutors stated that Watson demanded money from the register, fleeing the scene with $1,414 in cash and a bottle of liquor. During the subsequent investigation, law enforcement officials identified Watson as the suspect. A search of Watson’s cellphone revealed photographs of the specific handgun used in the commission of the crime, as well as the bottle of stolen liquor, linking him directly to the incident, officials said.
On September 17, a jury convicted Watson of first-degree robbery, fourth-degree aggravated assault, and multiple weapons-related offenses. In addition to the 27-year prison term, the judge ordered that Watson must serve five years of parole supervision upon his release, the prosecutor’s office confirmed.
Judicial Outcome and Case Significance
The nearly three-decade sentence imposed in this case reflects the judicial system’s stringent adherence to sentencing guidelines regarding first-degree robbery and the use of firearms in the commission of a crime. This conviction also highlights the increasing reliance on digital forensics in criminal investigations; the recovery of incriminating images from the defendant’s personal device proved pivotal in corroborating the physical evidence and securing a guilty verdict.
