Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino announced today that an Essex County jury has convicted George Gaymon, 30, of Irvington of 20 counts in connection with a two-day carjacking and robbery spree during which he victimized numerous individuals in Essex County.
“This defendant systematically stalked innocent and defenseless individuals to rob and carjack them,’’ said Assistant Prosecutor William Neafsey, who tried the case with Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Perez.
“Greed was defendant’s motivation and fear was his weapon. The verdict in this case is the result of the courage of the victims coupled with the exhaustive investigative efforts of the Newark and Irvington Police Departments,’’ said Assistant Prosecutor Perez.
In the trial before the Honorable Martin G. Cronin, Judge of the Superior, the evidence showed that Gaymon and co-defendant, Mario McClain, 34, of Orange stole a Jeep Cherokee in Orange and a Dodge Intrepid in Newark and then went to the Power Gas Station on 18th Avenue and robbed an attendant at 7:00 am on March 24.
Later that morning, they went to Speedwell Avenue in Newark, bumped a white Infiniti with the stolen Intrepid. When the male driver, a veteran on his way to work, got out to inspect the damage, Gaymon pulled a gun on him and carjacked him.
On March 27, they used the white Infiniti to bump a woman driving a grey Mercedes Benz SVU in Irvington. They carjacked that vehicle, taking her pocketbook with credit cards that they promptly begin to use at a sneaker store and a deli where they were caught on video. The two were eventually caught and prosecuted.
The crime spree took place on March 24 and March 27, 2014. In January of 2016, McClain entered a guilty plea. He is to be sentenced to 15 years in state prison.
As jury selection began Gaymon declared himself a “sovereign citizen’’ and refused to adhere to Judge Cronin’s instructions. Eventually, the judge had him removed from the courtroom and the trial was held in his absence.
On Friday, the jury convicted him of first degree armed robbery, carjacking, conspiracy to commit carjacking, conspiracy to commit robbery, theft, multiple counts of credit card fraud, multiple counts of illegal possession of weapons including both a handgun and knife.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 12. Because of his prior record, the prosecution will be seeking an extended prison sentence. Gaymon has five prior felony convictions.
Acting Prosecutor Laurino commended the Irvington and Newark Police Departments for their assistance in this case.