By: Richard L. Smith
Morris County authorities reported the sentencing of Tyrone Ellison, 36, of Morristown.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll said on February 13, Ellison approached the victim in Newark and offered him a place to stay for the night, driving him back to Ellison’s Morristown residence.
The victim fell asleep and awoke to Ellison contacting his intimate parts.
Prosecutor Carroll said Ellison displayed a handgun, would not allow the victim to access his cell phone, and confined the victim to the residence for most of the day.
When the victim attempted to end another act of unwanted touching, Ellison struck the victim, causing injury.
According to Prosecutor Carroll, the victim was secretly able to send a message to his mother and was later able to run out of the residence to her waiting car. The incident was reported to law enforcement.
During the investigation, several packages of Methamphetamine that were packaged for distribution, along with text conversations on Ellison’s phone relating to drug distribution, were found in Ellison’s residence.
On April 14, 2023, Honorable Judge Ralph E. Amirata, J.S.C. sentenced Ellison as a persistent offender to 60 years in New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) on the first-degree Kidnapping offense, subject to the No Early Release Act, with a consecutive sentence of 9 years New Jersey State Prison on the second-degree Possession with Intent to Distribute CDS which merged with a five-year prison sentence on the third-degree Possession of CDS offense.
Prosecutor Carroll said Ellison also received a five-year prison sentence on the third-degree Aggravated Criminal Sexual Contact conviction to run concurrent to the Kidnapping offense.
Upon release, Ellison is subject to Megan’s Law notification and Parole Supervision for Life. Ellison’s first eligibility for release on the Kidnapping conviction is in approximately 51 years.
Assistant Prosecutor Justin R. Tellone and Senior Assistant Prosecutor Laura Magnone represented the State. A jury had previously returned a guilty verdict for Ellison on November 14, 2022.
The charges against Ellison were tried before a jury between November 3, 2022, and November 14, 2022, presided over by Judge Amirata.
The defendant was found guilty of one count each of first-degree Kidnapping; second-degree Possession with Intent to Distribute CDS; third-degree Aggravated Criminal Sexual Contact; and third-degree Possession of a CDS.
The jury found Ellison not guilty of third-degree Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon but guilty of Simple Assault, a disorderly person's offense.