By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Atlantic County announced that since June 2022, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office has obtained 19 consecutive guilty verdicts.
This success is owed to the hard work and dedication of the assistant prosecutors, detectives, local police officers within Atlantic County, and most importantly – the victims and witnesses of violent crime, who bravely come forward to ensure that dangerous criminals face justice, officials stated.
According to officials, the 19 guilty verdicts consisted of six separate homicide convictions.
Each of the defendants, officials said, convicted of murder were sentenced to terms of prison ranging from 30-70 years, subject to the No Early Release Act (NERA), meaning they must serve 85% of the custodial sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
Authorities say an Atlantic City man was convicted of human trafficking for crimes committed against two separate victims, and he is now serving 60 years in State Prison, 30 years for each victim.
Officials said on multiple dates in 2021, an Atlantic City man threatened to commit brutal acts of violence against a Municipal Court Judge. Following trial, the defendant was convicted of terroristic threats and stalking and was sentenced to 16 years in State Prison.
There were multiple convictions for handgun possession by previously convicted persons, and officials say these defendants were sentenced to ranges of 10-16 years in State Prison.
Convictions were also obtained for receiving stolen property during the 2020 Atlantic City riots, an armed home invasion, criminal sexual conduct, and restraint committed by a guest against an elderly housekeeper at an Atlantic City casino, officials stated.
According to officials, the convictions also consisted of aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child, explicit contact with an eight-year-old child, and one defendant was convicted of fifteen weapons and narcotics distribution felonies.
Jury trials are the most effort-intensive and time-consuming work that occurs within the prosecutor's office, authorities say, and most trials take anywhere from one to two weeks to complete.
Officials say a team of professionals works tirelessly to support the trial assistant prosecutor in navigating witness location and transportation, evidence, transcripts, and legal obligations to convince twelve county residents that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
ACPO will continue to aggressively fight to protect the residents and visitors of Atlantic County in 2024, officials said.
Weekly jury trials are already scheduled through the month of April.