Ocean County man indicted for Long Branch shooting

FREEHOLD – An Ocean County man is named in a 4-count indictment handed up by a Monmouth County grand jury today charging him with a Long Branch shooting back in October, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Donovan Wesley, 25, of Brick Township, is charged with one count each of second degree Armed Burglary, first degree Attempted Murder, second degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose and first degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.

The charges stem from a Sunday, October 8, 2017, shooting inside a residence on West Columbus Place in Long Branch. The Long Branch Police Department responded to a 911 call at about 1:50 a.m. reporting shots fired at that location. Police arrived to find the victim, a 31-year-old male, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune Township, by Long Branch EMS and MONOC paramedics, where he was treated for his injuries and released a few days later.

A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Long Branch Police Department revealed Wesley shot the victim after the two men got into a verbal disagreement earlier in the evening. Wesley then arrived at the victim’s home and confronted the victim before shooting him during a brief struggle.

If convicted of Armed Burglary, Wesley faces a sentence of five to ten years in prison. If convicted of Attempted Murder, Wesley faces up to 20 years in a New Jersey state prison. Both charges are subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. He would also be under parole supervision for five years following his release from state prison. If convicted of Attempted Murder, he would be under parole supervision for three years following his release if convicted of Armed Burglary.

If convicted of Possession of Weapon for an Unlawful purpose, he faces a sentence of five to ten years in prison. If convicted of Unlawful Possession of a Handgun, Wesley faces five to ten years in state prison. Each of those charges is subject to the Graves Act mandatory period of parole ineligibility of up to one half of the custodial sentence imposed.

The case is assigned to Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Bogner, Director of the Office’s Major Crimes Bureau, Asbury Park Satellite Office.

Wesley is represented by Adam Mitchell, Esq., of Freehold.

Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.