A Philadelphia man, sentenced Tuesday, must serve nearly 80 years in New Jersey state prison before he is eligible for parole for the January 2019, fatal shooting of a 21 year-old man, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Cary Shill announced.
Officials said at 8:44 p.m., Friday Jan. 4, 2019, Atlantic City Police received a 911 call for a shooting at the Sunset Inn, reporting that a man had been shot.
Police arrived at the scene and Ky’Lee Haynes, 21, of Atlantic City was transported to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center City Campus where he was pronounced deceased.
Investigators were able to broadcast a description of the suspect involved in the fatal shooting. Investigators subsequently responded to a Shotspotter call in the area of North Florida Ave and located a male matching the description of the suspect from the previous shooting at Sunset Inn.
The suspect, Avery Bracey, 36, was arrested by Atlantic City Police SWAT Team members and a firearm was located on his person.
The investigation continued when a victim walked into AtlantiCare Medical Center City Campus Trauma Center with a gunshot wound to the leg and reported the injury was sustained on Florida Avenue.
Bracey has been identified as the shooter in that crime as well.
Officials said on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, Judge W. Todd Miller, J.S.C., sentenced defendant Avery Bracey as follows:
- 1st degree Robbery (17 years subject to the No Early Release Act)
- 3rd degree Criminal Restraint (4 years)
- 2nd degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (8 years, must serve 3.5)
- 1st degree Felony Murder (50 years subject to the No Early Release Act)
- 2nd degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (5 years, must serve 3.5)
- 2nd degree Aggravated Assault (8 years subject to the No Early Release Act)
- 3rd degree Possession of CDS (3 years)
- 1st degree Attempted Witness Tampering (18 years)
- 2nd degree certain persons not to possess a firearm (5 years without parole)
Atlantic County officials said the remaining convicted counts merged with the above.
Accounting for both consecutive and concurrent sentences, Bracey’s aggregate sentence is 98 years in New Jersey state prison, with nearly 80 years to be served without parole eligibility.
On Aug., 27, a jury returned a guilty verdict against Avery Bracey, 39, on the following counts:
- 1st degree Robbery-2 counts
- 3rd degree Criminal Restraint
- 2nd degree Unlawful Possession of a Handgun
- 2nd degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose- 4 counts
- 1st degree Aggravated Manslaughter
- 1st degree Felony Murder
- 4th degree Aggravated Assault
- 3rd degree Terroristic Threats
- 2nd degree Aggravated Assault
- 3rd degree Possession of CDS
- 1st degree Attempted Witness Tampering (threat of force)
- 2nd degree Attempted Witness Tampering (bribery)
On November 30, Hon. W. Todd Miller, J.S.C. found Bracey guilty of an additional count, second degree unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted person.