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Paterson Ex-Con, 22, Released Early During COVID Jailed After Bystander Is Shot During Robbery

A 22-year-old Paterson convict paroled from state prison amid last year's COVID pandemic could be facing much more serious time after authorities said he shot an innocent bystander during a robbery earlier this month.

INSET: Samuel Anthony

INSET: Samuel Anthony

Photo Credit: GoogleMaps / INSET: NJ Dept. of Corrections

The gun went off when the robbery victim struggled with Samuel Anthony at the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Summer Street in Paterson shortly before 5 p.m. Aug. 4, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora said in a joint release.

The 21-year-old bystander was wounded was taken via private vehicle to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, where he was treated for a gunshot wound, they said.

Paterson police nabbed Anthony near the corner of Prospect Street and Passaic Avenue in Passaic early Thursday, they said.

Anthony was sentenced in October 2019 to a maximum three to five years in state prison for drug and weapons convictions. 

He remained behind bars until May 2020, when Gov. Phil Murphy ordered early furloughs for hundreds of convicts as a way to stem the spread of COVID-19, records show. At that point, Anthony had served less than seven months.

Police this time charged him with first-degree robbery, aggravated assault and several weapons offenses, including being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Anthony remained held Friday in the Passaic County Jail pending an Aug. 18 detention hearing in Superior Court in Paterson.

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ALSO SEE: A non-fatal overdose in Wayne led Passaic County sheriff’s detectives to a basement apartment in Paterson where they said they seized 1,360 heroin folds, a stolen gun and an ex-con who lives there. READ MORE....

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