El fiscal del condado de Ocean, Bradley D.. Billhimer anunció que en agosto 13, 2021, Miguel Angel-Villegas, 31, of New Haven, Connecticut, pled guilty to Attempted Murder in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1 y N.J.S.A.. 2C:11-3a(1), as well as Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3b(4), ante el Honorable Guy P. ryan, J.S.C., relative to a shooting incident that occurred in Tuckerton on November 21, 2019. At the time of his sentencing on September 27, 2021, the State will recommend a term of fifteen years New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) as to the Attempted Murder charge, sujeto a los términos de la Ley de No Salida Temprana, NJSA. 2C:43-7.2, and five years NJSP as to the Hindering charge. The sentences are to run concurrently.
En noviembre 21, 2019, a Tuckerton Borough Police Officer performed a lawful stop on a motor vehicle in which Angel-Villegas was a passenger. During the course of the stop, the vehicle pulled away at a very high rate of speed and collided with another vehicle. Angel-Villegas exited the vehicle, pulled out a firearm and began firing at the Officer. Angel-Villegas subsequently fled on foot and was apprehended later the same evening by the United States Marshals Service and members of the New York City Police Department – just outside of Penn Station, New York City. A subsequent investigation by Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit revealed that Angel-Villegas ordered his then-girlfriend – el conductor del vehículo – to provide the Tuckerton Police Officer with a fictitious name due to his belief that he was wanted on a parole violation out of the State of Connecticut, and then forced her to speed away from the Officer during the motor vehicle stop.
Villegas has been lodged in the Ocean County Jail since his return to New Jersey.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Chief Trial Attorney Michael Weatherstone and Assistant Prosecutor Victoria Veni who handled the case on behalf of the State, así como la Unidad de Delitos Mayores de la Oficina del Fiscal del Condado de Ocean, Servicio de Alguaciles de los Estados Unidos, Departamento de policía de la ciudad de Nueva York, Tuckerton Borough Police Department, Departamento de policía de Little Egg Harbor, Policía Estatal de Nueva Jersey, Centro de Inteligencia de Operaciones Regionales de la Policía Estatal de Nueva Jersey, New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit, New Jersey Transit Police, Equipo SWAT regional del condado de Ocean, Unidad de Investigación de la Escena del Crimen de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Ocean, Unidad K-9 de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Ocean, New Haven (Connecticut) Police, Port Authority Police, Tuckerton Fire Department, and Tuckerton Public Works Department, por sus esfuerzos de colaboración en relación con esta investigación, ultimately resulting in Villegas’ apprehension, Declaración de culpabilidad, y pronto su sentencia de prisión estatal.