New York Man With ICE Detainer Admits Attacking, Robbing Brick Man in His Driveway

Vongvichit Vatthanavong (Photo: Ocean County Jail)

A New York man who is also the subject of an immigration detainer has pleaded guilty to robbing a Brick Township man as he pulled into his driveway in 2023 – then fleeing with two accomplices who have never been identified.

Vongvichit Vatthanavong, 50, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to robbery before Superior Court Judge Kenneth T. Palmer on Wednesday in connection with an incident that occurred in Brick Township on Jan. 5, 2023. At the time of his sentencing on July 18, 2025, prosecutorswill be seeking a term of twelve and-a-half years in New Jersey state prison. He had originally been charged with robbery, weapons possession and threats to the victim’s life.

According to a statement from prosecutors, Brick police officers were called to a residence on Pershing Avenue for a report of a robbery at about 12:20 a.m. the night of the attack. An investigation revealed that as the victim – the homeowner where the incident took place – was exiting his vehicle and entering his residence, he was approached by three masked individuals, one of whom was armed with what appeared to be a handgun. One of the suspects “struck the victim in the head, knocking him to the ground,” the statement said, as the three suspects stole approximately $3,000 in cash, a watch, and a mobile phone from the victim before fleeing the scene.

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A year-long investigation by the Brick Township Police Department Detective Bureau resulted in Vatthanavong being identified as one of the individuals responsible for the robbery. He voluntarily appeared at Brick Township police headquarters for questioning on Feb. 7, 2024, and was taken into custody and charged. He was transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he has been detained since that date. The other two suspects in the robbery have yet to be identified.

Jail records show Vatthanavong is also being held on a detainer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as well as the New York State court system. The details of those detainers were not available.

“Prosecutor [Bradley] Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Burke who is handling the case on behalf of the State, and commends the Brick Township Police Department, Brick Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Squad, and New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences, for their combined and cooperative efforts in connection with this investigation leading to Vatthanavong’s guilty plea – and soon his lengthy state prison sentence,” the statement said.