A Newark New Jersey man is likely headed to prison after being convicted of committing an armed robbery of an off-duty sheriff’s officer.
The theft incident went down on May 6, 2014. According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the suspect and another man robbed the victim, a female sheriff’s officer, and her boyfriend at West Side Park in Newark, NJ.
The suspect reportedly brandished a handgun while committing the robbery. At some point during the attempted theft, the suspect’s co-conspirator reportedly recognized the police officer and decided to abandon the robbery.
The Essex County Sheriff’s officer then dialed 911 and notified local law enforcement, which dispatched police officers to the scene. It was only a matter of minutes before police tracked down the suspect on Avon Avenue and Jelliff Avenue.
The suspect, a 24-year-old man from Newark, was arrested and charged with multiple crimes, including armed robbery and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
The suspect recently appeared in Essex County Superior Court in Newark NJ for a trial. At the end of the trial, which lasted two weeks, the jury found the defendant guilty on the most serious charges.
The defendant will have to return to Essex County Superior Court in June so that the judge can formally sentence him. Since the commission of a theft with a deadly weapon is classified as a first degree felony, the suspect could potentially be sentenced to 10-20 years in New Jersey State Prison.
One possible factor in the suspect’s sentence is the fact that he has a prior criminal record, including convictions for eluding police and receiving stolen property.
For more information about this case, view the NJ.com article, “Man Convicted of Trying to Rob Sheriff’s Officer in Newark.”