Newark– Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, announced today that Sharod Massey, 30, of Newark was sentenced to 18 years in New Jersey State Prison by the Honorable Harold W. Fullilove, Jr., Judge of the Superior Court, for continuing to possess weapons after being convicted of multiple felonies.
According to Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab, who tried the case with Assistant Prosecutor Brianne Cunningham, on Nov. 20, 2018, members of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office executed a search warrant at Massey’s home on Summer Avenue in Newark. Inside the apartment, was a safe which was cracked open on Nov. 21, 2018 pursuant to a second search warrant. Inside the safe, law enforcement found two firearms, a .38 special revolver and a 40 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
Exactly one year later, on November 21, 2019, an Essex County jury found Massey guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of two firearms. After the jury returned the guilty verdict, the State filed an extended term motion as a result of Massey’s extensive criminal history.
The Judge granted the States motion to sentence Massey to an extended term and sentenced him in the first-degree range due to his criminal history.
The Judge sentenced Massey to 18 years with 9 years parole ineligibility in New Jersey State Prison on count one and 10 years with a five-year period of parole ineligibility on count two. The terms will run concurrently for an aggregate sentence of 18 years with 9 years parole ineligibility.
“Sharod Massey, after previously being convicted of multiple crimes which prohibit him from obtaining a gun, illegally acquired two firearms in the City of Newark. Hopefully this sentence will deter Massey and others from illegally acquiring a handgun especially after having previously been convicted of a crime,” said Assistant Prosecutor Edwab.
