An Atlantic City man was to sentenced to 18 years of prison Friday for killing a man in 2012, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced today.
On April 9, 2012, Atlantic City Police responded to the 800 block of North Virginia Avenue, for the report of a shooting. Joseph Hurt, 32, of Atlantic City, was found dead behind a building, with multiple gunshot wounds.
Luis Perez, Jr., then 22, of Atlantic City, was arrested two days later in Hamilton Township on unrelated charges by Major Crimes Unit detectives and officers of the Atlantic City and Hamilton Township police departments.
On April 13, 2012, Perez was charged by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office with murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and lodged at the Atlantic County Justice Facility bail set at $750,000, cash only, by Superior Court Judge Kyran Connor.
In accordance with a negotiated plea agreement, Perez pled guilty to aggravated manslaughter on Mar. 17, 2014, before Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Bernard E. DeLury.
Friday, Judge DeLury sentenced Perez to 18 years of incarceration in New Jersey State Prison. Pursuant to the No Early Release Act (NERA), Perez must serve 85% of the sentence, or 15 years and 3 months, before becoming eligible for parole.