TRENTON
– Attorney General Paula T. Dow and
Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor
announced that a Camden man was sentenced
to state prison today in connection with
a 2009 shooting that left a man wounded.
According
to Director Taylor, Michael Daniels, 26,
of Camden, was sentenced to 10 years in
state prison, of which he must serve 85%
without the possibility of parole under
the No Early Release Act. The sentence is
based on Daniels’ Aug. 25 guilty plea
to second-degree aggravated assault.
In
pleading guilty, Daniels admitted that he
shot a 17-year-old male on Sept. 23, 2009
at Princess and Kaighn Avenues in Camden.
Deputy
Attorney General Kristen Harberg took the
guilty plea for the Division of Criminal
Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau
and represented the Division at the sentencing.
The charge, which was contained in a Jan.
27 Camden County grand jury indictment,
stemmed from a joint investigation by the
New Jersey State Police, Camden County Prosecutor’s
Office and Camden City Police.
The
investigation revealed that on Sept. 23,
2009, Daniels and a co-defendant, Marcus
Jones, 24, of Camden, walked past the victim,
and the victim attempted to shake hands
with the defendants. Daniels refused to
shake the victim’s hand, and an argument
and scuffle ensued. Jones allegedly handed
Daniels a gun, and Daniels chased the victim
with the gun. 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.
Jones
was charged in the Jan. 27 indictment 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), possession
of a weapon as a convicted felon (2nd degree),
transfer of a community gun (2nd degree),
and resisting arrest (4th degree). He is
scheduled for trial on Jan. 24 before Judge
Fox. Second-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of 10 years in prison and a $150,000
fine, while fourth-degree crimes carry a
maximum sentence of 18 months and a $10,000
fine. The indictment is merely an accusation
and Jones is presumed innocent until proven
guilty.
Attorney
General Dow credited the investigators who
conducted the investigation. They are 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.
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