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Guilty Verdict for NJ Man who Ran Up to a Crowd Armed with a Gun Then Opened Fire; Five Injured

Paterson

Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes announces that Luis Rivera, 29, of Paterson, was found guilty after a jury trial before the Honorable Adam E. Jacobs, J.S.C.

According to a statement released by Passaic County officials on Wednesday evening, jury selection commenced on June 5, 2018, and the trial began on June 13, 2018.

Officials say on Wednesday, following approximately one day of deliberations, the jury returned guilty verdicts on five (5) counts of First Degree Attempted Murder, one (1) count of Second Degree Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, five (5) counts of Second Degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, one (1) count of Second Degree Aggravated Assault – Serious Bodily Injury, and five (5) counts of Fourth Degree Aggravated Assault – Pointing a Firearm.

According to the statement, the State presented evidence at the trial that on July 21, 2017, where Mr. Rivera walked on Summer Street in the City of Paterson while in possession of a handgun.

Officials say the victims were outside of the home located at 481 Summer Street when at approximately 10:00 p.m., Mr. Rivera ran up to the crowd and fired his weapon multiple times.

According to officials, one of the victims was shot three (3) times and was treated for injuries at St. Joseph’s Hospital. The incident was captured on a home surveillance system which the Paterson Police Department used in their efforts to identify Mr. Rivera and ultimately aided in Mr. Rivera’s arrest on August 28, 2018.

Mr. Rivera is exposed to a term of imprisonment between ten (10) years and twenty (20) years for each count of Attempted Murder of which 85% is to be served pursuant to the No Early Release Act before defendant is eligible for parole with five (5) years of parole supervision thereafter, up to ten (10) years for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm of which of which three (3) and a half years must be served pursuant to the Graves Act, up to ten (10) years for each count of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose of which three (3) and a half years must be served pursuant to the Graves Act, up to ten (10) years for Aggravated Assault.

Severe Bodily Injury of which 85% is to be served pursuant to the No Early Release Act before defendant is eligible for parole with three (3) years parole supervision thereafter, and up to eighteen (18) months for Aggravated Assault – Pointing a Firearm of which eighteen (18) months must be served pursuant to the Graves Act officials said.

Officials remanded Mr. Rivera to the Passaic County Jail pending sentence. The sentences on Attempted Murder, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and Aggravated Assault – Pointing a Firearm may run consecutive to each other since there were separate victims involved. Mr. Rivera’s sentence is scheduled for August 3, 2018, before the Honorable Adam E. Jacobs, J.S.C..

The State was represented by Assistant Prosecutor Nickolaos K. Katsanos. Mr. Rivera was represented by attorney Nicholas C. Patullo, Esq.

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