Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that the Honorable Robert H. Gardner, Judge of the Superior Court, sentenced Marcus J. Bascus, 23, of East Orange to 15 years in New Jersey State Prison for his role in the murder of Jessica A. Moore, a 19-year-old Seton Hall sophomore from Virginia. Under the terms of a plea agreement, Bascus must serve 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole. Moore was killed Sept. 25, 2010 while attending an off-campus party on South Clinton Street in East Orange. Angry that he was asked to leave the party, Nicholas Welch, 29, of East Orange left, obtained a gun from Bascus and came back to the party and opened fire on students. In addition to Moore, four other students were shot. After the shooting Bascus fled the state and was eventually arrested while hiding in an apartment complex in Wilkes Barre, Pa.
On March 31, a jury convicted Welch of the murder of Jessica Moore. He was also found guilty of attempting to murder four other students at the party -- Yvan Christophe, Nakeisha Vanterpool, Nicosia Henry and Daryl Elmore – all of whom were shot, but survived the attack.
Welch is serving an 80-year sentence. After Welch was sentenced Bascus, who faced murder and attempted murder charges, entered a guilty plea to conspiracy on June 5. Bascus admitted giving Welch the gun used to kill Moore. Assistant Prosecutor Romesh Sukhdeo, who handled both the Welch and Bascus cases, said there were no mitigating factors in this case but many aggravating. Chief among them was a need to deter Bascus and others. “We must send the message that this type of conduct cannot be tolerated,’’ said Sukhdeo. “These were good kids, innocent kids, simply trying to enjoy a party.’’