The Triangle

Issue date: 8/8/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Philadelphia Police Michael Gomez

The man charged with attacking a Drexel University professor has been charged in 17 robberies across Philadelphia and has been indicted on federal weapons possession charges, police said.

The man, Michael Gomez, also known as Marvin Sutter, allegedly punched and robbed a Drexel University professor in her Stratton Hall office May 29, according to police.

Police said this was not Gomez's first crime.

The 17 robbery charges include multiple victims in neighborhoods from Center City to North Philadelphia, according to police.

One of the crimes, at 2100 Cherry St., took place the same day and hours after the Drexel attack, according to police reports.

Philadelphia detectives from the Major Crimes Unit's Auto Squad caught up with Gomez in North Philadelphia when he was spotted driving a stolen car June 4.

In addition to city charges, Gomez was indicted July 22 for illegally carrying a handgun as a convicted felon, according to the federal indictment.

Gomez could face additional federal charges as agents from Philadelphia Division of the FBI continue an investigation into commercial robberies possibly committed by Gomez, Special Agent J.J. Klaver said.

"We always look to see if we can match them [suspects] to other robberies," Klaver said.

Klaver said federal agents can charge suspects on Hobbs Act violations, meaning longer federal jail sentences.

"It gives us a bigger hammer," Klaver said.

The FBI's Violent Crime Task Force and Philadelphia Police have been working together to link various unsolved crimes to Gomez, Klaver added.

"We are happy another predator is off the street," Domenic Ceccanecchio, senior associate vice president for public safety at Drexel, said.

Gomez was in federal custody at the time of this publication, according Philadelphia Prisons Spokesman Robert Eskind.

At the time Gomez allegedly robbed the Drexel professor, he was wanted by the Pennsylvania State Parole Board for walking away from a North Philadelphia halfway house, officials said.

Gomez was sent to a "community corrections center" in March 2008, according to Leo Dunn, a spokesman for the parole board.

Gomez would face another parole hearing after the court proceeding on his new crimes were completed.

Dunn said he could not comment on the specifics of Gomez's parole until after the new parole board hearing.

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