56°
Rogelio Laureano-Gonzalez, 26, admitted last month that he struck Jaime Lopez-Basilio, 27, in the head, killing him, during a drunken argument at their Old Bloomfield Avenue home last September.
Laureano-Gonzalez fled with another roommate, Cirilo Rojas-Paulino, 25, and were later captured in Kern County, CA, authorities said.
Superior Court Judge Stephen J. Taylor sentenced Laureano-Gonzalez in Morristown on Thursday to five years in prison in exchange for pleading guilty to manslaughter and hindering.He must serve 85% of the sentence under New Jersey's No Early Release Act, Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Acting Chief of Investigations Chris Kimker and Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Chief Andrew Miller said in a joint release.
The judge sentenced Rojas-Paulino to 291 days time served in the Morris County Jail as a condition of two years probation for his guilty plea to hindering apprehension, they said.
“The collaborative efforts of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in New Jersey and California brought these defendants to justice," Knapp said. "We are very thankful to all involved for this successful prosecution and conviction.”
The prosecutor specifically cited Oxnard police and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, both in California, ICE, the DEA, Parsippany-Troy Hills police, the Morris County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigation Unit and his own Major Crimes Unit.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Elizabeth and receive free news updates.
