Two Princeton men charged with robbery and assault

A 23-year-old man was allegedly beaten and robbed while at a house on the first block of Witherspoon Street in Princeton early Thursday morning.

The victim told police that he had an argument with two men, Angel Gonzalez-Hernandez and Jose Bran-Gonzalez. The argument escalated and Gonzalez-Hernandez allegedly struck the victim in the face with his fist. Bran-Gonzalez then allegedly struck the victim in the face with the grip portion of a handgun. The victim also alleged that Gonzalez-Hernandez and Bran-Gonzalez stole cash from him during the assault. The victim then fled the house and walked to Princeton Police Headquarters to report the assault just before 2 a.m. on Thursday.

An investigation by the Princeton Police Department Detective Bureau led to the arrest of Gonzalez-Hernandez, 36. He was transported to Princeton Police Headquarters.  

Just before 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team and officers from the Princeton Police Department executed a search warrant on the residence on the first block of Witherspoon Street. During the course of the search warrant execution, Bran-Gonzalez, 20, was arrested and transported to Princeton Police Headquarters.

Gonzalez-Hernandez was charged with robbery, simple assault, and making terroristic threats. Bran-Hernandez was charged with robbery, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, possession of marijuana under 50 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia, and making terroristic threats.

Gonzalez-Hernandez and Bran-Gonzalez were both transported to the Mercer County Corrections Center.