On the morning of July 31, 2022, Jose Mercado and a juvenile co-conspirator carjacked, robbed and assaulted a victim at gunpoint on the 300 block of Lake Street in Newark, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens, II said.
Later that morning, Jersey City police approached Mercado while he was inside the victim's carjacked vehicle and Mercado and his accomplice were arrested while holding the victim's money, Stephens said. Police also recovered two loaded firearms that were used in the crimes, Stephens said.
Mercado was convicted of conspiracy, carjacking, armed robbery, aggravated assault and numerous weapons offenses, Stephens said. He will be sentenced in September, Stephens said.
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