The last three of the five men who violently robbed a scrap metal yard in Elizabeth three years ago were sentenced to prison terms of at least 22 years on Friday.
Rafael Clemmons, 30, of Irvington received 25 years while Newark residents Steven Chambers, 32 and Sharrod Saunders, 42, got 22 years each, the Union County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement.
Clemmons, Chambers and Saunders were part of an armed crew who held six people captive for 90 minutes at Bayway Scrap Metal on April 18, 2014 -- pistol-whipping one of their victims until he was unconscious.
They tied the victims hands and feet with zip ties and stole their wallets and other personal property. The quintet then stole 600 catalytic converters worth about $100,000 and fled in a rented commercial vehicle and pickup truck they swiped from the parking lot.
Four of the five were arrested after crashing into a police car following a brief pursuit. Gunfire was exchanged but no one was hit. The fifth -- Anthony Brailsford -- was on the lam until February 2017.
The last two -- Clemmons and Saunders -- pleaded guilty in August.
Howard is serving a 10-year sentence, according to department of corrections records. Brailsford began an eight-year sentence last month.
Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.