Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that the Honorable Joseph C. Cassini, III, J.S.C., sentenced Jamal Peoples, 27, of Newark to 15 years in state prison for 1st degree robbery and 1st degree aggravated sexual assault.
On May 25, 2011 at approximately 10 p.m., Peoples walked past a male and female couple near the gazebo at Riverbank Park in Newark. He returned shortly in possession of a gun and with another defendant. They robbed the couple of their cell phones and took the female victim’s identification and cash. Peoples then ordered the male victim to remove his shoes and run away. The other defendant subsequently left the park, but Peoples remained alone with the female victim, whom he raped at gunpoint.
On March 21, 2013, Peoples pleaded guilty to two counts of 1st degree robbery and two counts of 1st degree aggravated sexual assault.
He is required to serve 85 percent of his 15 year sentence under New Jersey’s No Early Release Act before becoming eligible for parole. Peoples will be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law and will receive parole supervision for life when he is released.
“This sentence shows that we take sexual assaults very seriously,” said Assistant Prosecutor Kelly Sandler, who handled the case.
