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TRENTON
– Acting Attorney General Paula T.
Dow and Criminal Justice Director Stephen
J. Taylor announced that a Camden man and
a Woodlynne man were each charged with attempted
murder in separate indictments in connection
with two shootings in Camden in 2009. A
third man was indicted along with the Camden
man on a charge of aggravated assault.
The
indictments were obtained by the Division
of Criminal Justice as a result of joint
investigations by the New Jersey State Police,
Camden County Prosecutor’s Office
and Camden City Police Department.
According
to Director Taylor, the Division of Criminal
Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau
obtained an indictment charging Michael
Daniels, 25, of Camden, with first-degree
attempted murder. The indictment also charges
Daniels and Marcus Jones, 23, of Camden,
with aggravated assault (2nd degree), aggravated
assault (3rd degree), possession of a weapon
for an unlawful purpose (2nd degree), unlawful
possession of a weapon (2nd degree), transfer
of a community gun (2nd degree), and resisting
arrest (4th degree). Jones alone was charged
with possession of a weapon as a convicted
felon (2nd degree). The indictment was returned
by a Camden County grand jury on Jan. 27
and handed up in Superior Court yesterday
(Feb. 3).
The
indictment alleges that on Sept. 23, 2009,
Daniels shot a 17-year-old male at Princess
and Kaighn Avenues in Camden. The two defendants
had walked past the victim, and the victim
attempted to shake hands with the defendants.
The investigation revealed that Daniels
refused to shake the victim’s hand,
and an argument and scuffle ensued. Jones
allegedly handed Daniels a gun, and Daniels
allegedly chased the victim with the gun.
It is alleged that the victim ultimately
put his hands up and begged Daniels not
to shoot him, but Daniels shot him in the
torso at close range. The victim was hospitalized
after the shooting but survived.
According
to Director Taylor, a second indictment
obtained by the Division of Criminal Justice
charges Vance Bond, 25, of Woodlynne, with
attempted murder (1st degree), aggravated
assault (2nd degree), aggravated assault
(3rd degree), possession of a weapon for
an unlawful purpose (2nd degree), possession
of a weapon as a convicted felon (2nd degree),
and unlawful possession of a weapon (2nd
degree). That indictment was also returned
by the Camden County grand jury on Jan.
27 and handed up in Superior Court yesterday
(Feb. 3).
The
indictment alleges that on Jan. 27, 2009,
Bond shot a 16-year-old female in the 1200
block of Liberty Street in Camden. Bond
allegedly approached the victim, with whom
he had an ongoing feud, and shot her in
the chest and wrist. She was hospitalized
but survived her wounds.
First-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of 20 years
in state prison and a $200,000 fine, while
second-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence
of 10 years in state prison and a $150,000
fine. The attempted murder and aggravated
assault charges carry a mandatory term of
parole ineligibility equal to 85 percent
of the sentence imposed.
The
charge of possession of a weapon as a convicted
felon carries a mandatory five-year term
of parole ineligibility, and the other gun
charges carry a mandatory term of parole
ineligibility of one-third to one-half of
the sentence imposed or three years, whichever
is greater. Third-degree crimes carry a
maximum sentence of five years in state
prison and a $15,000 fine, while fourth-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of 18 months
in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The
indictments are merely accusations and the
defendants are presumed innocent until proven
guilty.
Deputy
Attorney General Kristen Harberg presented
the cases to the Camden County grand jury
for the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs
& Organized Crime Bureau.
The
investigations were conducted by the Camden
Shoot Team, which is made up of detectives
and investigators from the New Jersey State
Police, the Camden City Police Department
and the Camden County Prosecutor’s
Office. The Shoot Team responds to all non-fatal
shootings within the city limits of Camden,
conducting an intensive investigation of
each shooting. The Camden County Prosecutor’s
Office prosecutes most of the resulting
cases, while the Division of Criminal Justice
within the Attorney General’s Office
also handles some cases.
Acting
Attorney General Dow credited the investigators
who conducted the investigations.
The
investigation in the Daniels and Jones case
was conducted by Investigator Michael Dougherty
of the Camden County Prosecutor’s
Office; Cpl. Orlando Perez, Sgt. Zsakhiem.
James, Officer Leon Reed, and Detective
Bill Schaefer of the Camden City Police
Department; and Detective Marco Rodriguez
and Sgt. Larry Wachter of the New Jersey
State Police.
The
investigation in the Bond case was conducted
by Detective Marco Rodriguez, Detective
Daniel DeLucia, Detective Carlos Rodriguez,
Detective Augustus Nyekan, and Detective
Joseph Loschiavo of the New Jersey State
Police; Investigator Michael Dougherty of
the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office;
and Sgt. Zsakhiem James, Officer Luis Sanchez,
Detective Terrell Watkins, and Officer Carmelo
Villegas of the Camden City Police Department.
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