By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Atlantic County reported that on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, Michael Hayes, 46, of Absecon, was sentenced to 60 years in New Jersey State Prison subject to the No Early Release Act, where he must serve 85 percent of his time before being eligible for parole.
According to officials, the Court determined that he be sentenced as a persistent offender to an extended term of imprisonment on the first-degree Robbery conviction.
Authorities say he was sentenced to current terms on the remaining charges.
On Tuesday, June 6, 2023, an Atlantic County jury convicted Hayes of the following officials stated:
• First-degree robbery
• First-degree unlawful possession of a handgun by a person with a prior NERA conviction
• Second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery
• Second-degree burglary
• Second-degree conspiracy to commit burglary
• Second-degree conspiracy to commit aggravated assault
• Second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun
• Second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose
• Second-degree certain persons not to possess firearms
• Third-degree conspiracy to commit aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
• Third-degree criminal restraint
• Third-degree terroristic threats
• Third-degree theft
• Third-degree conspiracy to commit theft
• Fourth-degree aggravated assault by pointing a firearm at another
According to officials, during the two-week trial, the jury heard evidence that in the weeks leading up to the incident, Hayes conspired with an unknown accomplice to rob the victim, in this case, S.B.
Officials said that on September 15, 2020, Hayes and his accomplice waited outside S.B.’s house in Buena Borough with masks on and confronted him at gunpoint as S.B. left for work around 6:30 a.m.
They duct-taped him and forced him back inside his house and into his bedroom.
The jury found that Hayes held the victim at gunpoint in his room, threatening to shoot him in the head. S.B. was robbed of approximately $1,000.00 cash and a necklace, officials say.
Authorities say as this was occurring, the unknown accomplice walked down the hall, pointed a gun at S.B.’s father, and told him and his wife to stay quiet. S.B. was able to break free from the duct tape and attempted to escape down the stairs.
The jury found that Hayes told the accomplice to shoot S.B., and the accomplice obliged, firing one shot that grazed the victim’s head, according to officials.
S.B. was able to make it safely across the street to his neighbor’s house, where 911 was called, officials stated Hayes and his accomplice fled the scene.
The case was broken open when Hayes’ fingerprint was located on the discarded duct tape at the crime scene, officials said.
