By: Richard L. Smith
An Irvington Township man has been sentenced to four decades in prison for a fatal 2021 shooting in East Orange that prosecutors say was driven by mistaken identity and gang retaliation.
Theodore N. Stephens II announced that David Parker, 23, received a 40-year prison sentence following his conviction earlier this year.
On February 5, 2026, Parker was found guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutors Brian Pollock and Christian Marin before Superior Court Judge Christopher Romanyshyn, who presided over both the trial and sentencing.
The charges stem from the August 9, 2021, killing of Mr. Prince Sweeney, 35, of East Orange.
According to testimony presented at trial, Parker, along with his brother Rahman Polen and two others, traveled to North Munn Street in a stolen sports car seeking retaliation for a 2017 gang-related shooting involving Polen.
Authorities said the group encountered Sweeney walking along the street and briefly exchanged words before driving away.
Believing—incorrectly—that Sweeney was affiliated with a rival gang, Parker exited the vehicle and fired approximately 10 rounds from an MP15-style rifle, striking Sweeney once in the chest. He later died from his injuries.
Prosecutors said Parker is associated with the Bloods street gang and targeted Sweeney under the mistaken belief that he was a member of the Crips.
Under New Jersey’s No Early Release Act, Parker must serve at least 85 percent of his 40-year sentence before becoming eligible for parole.