A West Orange man, formerly charged in connection to the murder of Brendan Tevlin, was sentenced today to seven years in state prison for his role in an unrelated drive-by shooting.
On July 8, 2014, a passenger in a vehicle, driven by Jeremy Villagran, opened fire into a crowd of people on South 15th Street in Newark.
A 19-year-old man was injured but survived his injuries.
Under the sentence, Villagran must serve nearly six years before becoming eligible for parole. However , he will receive credit for slightly more than a year of time served.
During sentencing, Villagran's attorney wanted judge to take his youthfulness into account. However, judge stated that as soon as he knew his passenger had a gun, he could have stopped the car and refused to drive anymore.
Villagran and Eric Williams were both charged in connection to Tevlin's killing on June 25, 2014 in West Orange, but charges were later dropped after prosecutors determined they wouldn't be able to meet their burden of proof.