Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on October 27, 2023, Porfirio Serrano-Cruz, 40, of Seaside Heights, was sentenced by the Honorable Kimarie Rahill, J.S.C., to seven years New Jersey State Prison, as a result of his previously entered guilty plea to Aggravated Assault in connection with a stabbing incident that occurred in Seaside Park on June 30, 2022. This sentence will be subject to the terms of the No Early Release Act, meaning that Serrano-Cruz will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence before he may be considered for parole eligibility. Serrano-Cruz pled guilty to the charge before Judge Rahill on August 14, 2023.
On June 30, 2022, at approximately 5:15 a.m., Officers from the Seaside Park Police Department responded to a residence on O Street in response to a 911 call; the caller stated that someone had broken into his residence and tried to kill him. Responding Officers found a 39 year-old male victim with multiple stab wounds to the arms, chest, abdomen and groin. The victim was air-lifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment of his injuries. He was subsequently treated for his injuries and released.
An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, and Seaside Park Police Department, determined that Serrano-Cruz was the individual responsible for the stabbing of the victim. On June 30, 2022, Serrano-Cruz was located in Seaside Heights and taken into custody without incident by Officers from the Seaside Heights Police Department. He has been lodged in the Ocean County Jail since his apprehension.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Assistant Prosecutor Julie Peterson who handled the case on behalf of the State, as well as the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit, Seaside Park Police Department, Seaside Heights Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, for their collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation resulting in Serrano-Cruz’s apprehension, guilty plea, and now his state prison sentence.