Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Violent Home Invasions

A Philadelphia man has received an 18-year federal prison sentence for his role in two violent home invasions that targeted business owners and an elderly employee. According to federal prosecutors, Abdullah Hartage, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Juan R. Sánchez to serve 18 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Additionally, Hartage was ordered to pay $60,000 in restitution for the traumatic events that left victims injured and fearful in their own homes.

The case stems from a superseding indictment filed in October 2022, in which Hartage and his co-defendant, Ali Chandler, faced charges of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce under the Hobbs Act, as well as counts related to physical violence during these crimes. Both Hartage and Chandler entered guilty pleas in October 2024. Chandler is still in federal custody, awaiting sentencing.

The first incident occurred on November 13, 2021, when Hartage, Chandler, and other accomplices conducted surveillance on a family-owned business. They followed the owners and their adult daughter to their home, arriving just ahead of them. Upon entering the garage, the group of armed men attacked. One assailant struck a 61-year-old man multiple times in the head, while another threatened the daughter at gunpoint, and a third dragged a 65-year-old woman into the home, beating her as well. The assailants fled after a security alarm was triggered, stealing the daughter’s backpack, which contained her credit and identification cards.

Less than a month later, on December 4, 2021, the group targeted a 68-year-old store employee. Investigators revealed that the robbers had spent weeks stalking their victim, tracking her movements from work to her home. They arrived before her, and as she entered, three armed men forced their way inside. One of them told her, “I know where you work,” before zip-tying her to a chair and pistol-whipping her, causing a deep gash and a concussion. The attackers made off with a safe filled with cash, coins, and jewelry.

Hartage’s criminal history includes prior convictions for violent offenses. At the time of the home invasions, he had already served over two years in state prison for similar crimes and was on probation. The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Newtown Square Resident Agency, along with the Pennsylvania State Police and the Montgomery Township Police Department. The prosecution was led by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Doherty.

While Hartage’s guilty plea and sentence conclude his federal legal proceedings, Chandler’s sentencing remains pending. This case reflects a troubling trend of violent home invasions that jeopardize the safety of community members and affect local businesses.