A 48-year-old Howell man who admitted being the wheelman for his son in the robbery of a Chinese food deliveryman in Lakewood (as first repoted on TLS here), was sentenced today to five years in prison for his role in the crime. Superior Court Judge Francis R. Hodgson imposed the prison term on Timothy Davis of Smith Street and ordered that he serve 85 percent of the term before he can be considered for release on parole, under the state’s No Early Release Act for violent criminals.

Hodgson on Oct. 30 sentenced Davis’ son, Kevin, 19, of Seattle Slew Drive in Howell to the identical term for his role in the crime.

 Both father and son entered plea bargains calling for seven-year prison terms, but their attorneys, Deputy Assistant Public Defender Michael Vito for Timothy Davis and Deputy Assistant Public Defender Philip Pagano for Kevin Davis, successfully argued for lower terms.

Authorities said the Davises lured Bin Chen, a deliveryman for VIP Chinese Restaurant in Lakewood, to an address on Ventura Drive by calling for a delivery of fried shrimp, General Tso’s chicken, chicken with broccoli, egg rolls and chicken wings. When the person at the address to which the food was to be delivered said she hadn’t ordered it, Chen started to leave. He was approached by Kevin Davis, who threatened the deliveryman and induced him to turn over $30 and the food.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery on Sept. 8. Timothy Davis admitted being the wheelman, and Kevin Davis admitted pulling off the food heist.

The hungry bandits were foiled after the victim called police and provided a description of the robber, the car he fled in and the cell phone number that was used to place the food order.

Shortly after they received that call, police stopped the Davises’ car on Pine Street in Lakewood, dialed the cell phone number provided to them and heard a phone ringing inside the vehicle. They arrested the father and son and recovered the food before the defendants had a chance to eat it. TLS/APP