Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker, and Denville Police Chief Frank Perna announce that Michael Romeo, age 32, with a last known address of Sewell, New Jersey has been convicted and sentenced related to a carjacking incident that occurred in the Township of Denville on July 10, 2018.
According to officials, Romeo was sentenced to five (5) years in New Jersey State Prison and must serve five (5) years of this sentence before being eligible for parole.
Reports say that the Defendant is also subject to a five (5) year term of parole supervision following completion of the term of incarceration.
On January 14, the Defendant entered a guilty plea to Carjacking, a crime of the first degree, officials say.
In pleading guilty, the Defendant admitted that on July 10, 2018, the Defendant accepted a ride from the victim into the Township of Denville. Reports started that when being dropped off, the Defendant admitted to putting the victim in fear of bodily injury so that he could steal the victim’s vehicle. The Defendant then drove away from the scene in the victim’s stolen vehicle.
According to police, members of the Denville Police Department and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit subsequently located the Defendant and the victim’s stolen car in Philadelphia, PA.
On July 12, 2018, the Defendant was arrested by the Philadelphia Police Department, reports say. The Defendant was later extradited to New Jersey to face charges related to this incident.
Officials say that sentence was imposed by the Hon. David H. Ironson, J.S.C. The State was represented by Assistant Prosecutor Tara Wang in this matter.
Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank the Denville Police Department, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Section, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit for their contributions to this investigation and prosecution.