Neptune Township Man Found Guilty of Armed Robbery
On June 12, 2024, in Freehold, a local man was found guilty of the armed robbery of a Neptune Township convenience store that occurred last year, as announced by Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. The verdict was delivered by a jury on Monday after a trial presided over by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Christie Bevacqua.
The incident took place shortly after 1 a.m. on Friday, March 31, 2023, when Neptune Township Police Department responded to an alarm at the 7-Eleven on Route 35 South near West Lake Avenue. The investigation revealed that during a transaction between a store employee and a customer, the suspect, later identified as William A. Herndon, 41, brandished a sawed-off shotgun and attempted to steal money from the cash register before fleeing the scene.
Following the investigation, Herndon was apprehended without resistance on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, and detained at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI). During the trial, the State presented physical evidence, witness testimonies, and video evidence, including footage showing Herndon modifying the shotgun he used in the robbery.
Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Nicole Wallace and Jamie Fitzgerald handled the prosecution, while Herndon was represented by Anthony Aldorasi, Esq., based in Freehold. The sentencing for Herndon is scheduled for Friday, August 30 before Judge Bevacqua, where he could face a maximum of 20 years in state prison under New Jersey’s No Early Release Act (NERA), which mandates 85 percent of the sentence to be served before parole eligibility.
In a related development, the Department of Justice resolved a lawsuit against Jackson Township for allegedly discriminatory ordinances targeting Orthodox Jewish religious schools. The settlement marks a significant legal resolution that promotes inclusivity and protects religious freedom within the community.
