By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Ocean County announced that on June 7, the Honorable Kimarie Rahill, J.S.C., sentenced Christopher Hurley, 27, of Little Egg Harbor, to twelve years in New Jersey State Prison as a result of his previously entered guilty plea to Robbery in connection with an incident that occurred in Berkeley Township on February 5, 2022.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said this sentence will be subject to the terms of the No Early Release Act, meaning that Hurley will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence before he may be considered for parole eligibility.
Hurley pled guilty to the charge before Judge Rahill on March 18, 2024, officials stated.
According to officials, on February 5, 2022, officers from the Berkeley Township Police Department responded to the Rite Aid Pharmacy on Route 9 for a report of an armed robbery.
Officials said responding officers determined that a male suspect entered the store, brandished a knife at the cashier, and demanded money.
The store staff surrendered the cash drawer to the suspect, who then fled the scene, officials say.
Authorities say a subsequent investigation into the matter transpired over approximately the next two weeks; as a result, Berkeley Township Detectives were able to identify Hurley as the individual responsible for robbing the Rite Aid on February 5th.
In furtherance of the investigation, officials said, detectives determined that Hurley had been arrested by Officers from Toms River Township Police Department on an unrelated charge on February 22, 2022, and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail at that time.
Hurley was thereafter served with the Berkeley Township robbery charge at the Ocean County Jail on February 25, 2022, officials say.
According to officials, Hurley presently remains lodged in the Ocean County Jail awaiting sentence.