By: Richard L. Smith
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced on Friday that Raphael Powell, a 38-year-old resident of Toms River, has been sentenced to an aggregate term of 25 years in New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) by Honorable Guy P. Ryan, P.J.Cr.P. Powell was found guilty on several charges stemming from an incident that took place in Toms River Township on July 2, 2022.
These charges include Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, Being a Certain Person Not to Possess a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of a Handgun with a prior conviction for a No Early Release Act (NERA) Offense, Terroristic Threats, Possession of Hollow Nose Bullets, Possession of a Large Capacity Magazine, and Possession of Fentanyl.
Judge Ryan imposed a 20-year sentence with ten years of parole ineligibility for the Handgun Possession charge and an additional five years with a 42-month parole ineligibility for the Weapon Possession offense, to run consecutively.
Further sentences for the remaining charges, including Terroristic Threats and Possession of Fentanyl, will run concurrently, amounting to a total mandatory minimum of 13.5 years before parole eligibility.
The conviction followed a week-long jury trial that concluded on January 11, 2023, where evidence was presented against Powell for his involvement in a violent altercation on the night of July 2, 2022.
According to reports, Powell assaulted a male victim who was entering a residence, brandishing a handgun and threatening the victim's life.
The subsequent investigation led to Powell's arrest in the early hours of July 3, 2022, where he was found with a stolen handgun loaded with hollow nose bullets and in possession of Fentanyl.
Powell has been held at the Ocean County Jail since his arrest, awaiting the conclusion of his trial and sentencing.