FREEHOLD – Two Long Branch men pleaded guilty to charges of Attempted Murder after admitting they fired multiple shots into a vehicle at a West Long Branch hotel in 2017, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni. Due to their prior criminal convictions, both men face a potential sentence of Life in a New Jersey state prison.
Rayshawn Jones, 27, of Long Branch, and Michael Seward, 30, of Long Branch, each pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of first degree Attempted Murder, two counts of second degree Aggravated Assault, one count each of second degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, second degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, second degree Certain Persons Not to Have Weapons, and fourth degree Refusal to Provide a DNA Sample. The pleas were entered on the eve of trial and encompass all charges brought against the defendants by the State for their roles in the shooting outside of the LaQuinta Inn in West Long Branch on January 13, 2017.
A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and West Long Branch Police Department determined Jones and Seward each fired multiple shots into a GMC Yukon striking the two Long Branch men sitting in the vehicle. Both defendants then fled the area on foot before encountering police a short time later. The shooting was captured on a nearby surveillance camera. The victims were both transported to Monmouth Medical Center where they were treated and released for their respective injuries.
While pleading guilty before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard W. English, Jones and Seward both admitted firing multiple shots into the vehicle with the intent to kill the two occupants. In response to questioning from Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Joshua D. Detzky, Rayshawn Jones also admitted he was a member of the Fruit Town Brims set of the violent Bloods criminal street gang.
Due to their prior criminal records, both men face a potential sentence of Life in prison when they return for sentencing before Judge English on May 4, 2018.
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Joshua D. Detzky.
Jones is represented by Shane Paugh, Esq., of Middletown, and Seward is represented by Carlos Diaz-Cobo, Esq., of New Brunswick.
Eatontown Memorial Student is 10,000th Child to Benefit from Free Vision Screening by New Jersey’s Eatontown Lions Club The Eatontown Lions Club began its sixth year of vision screening with a bang on Thursday, September 14, 2023. As a result of partnering with the Eatontown and Ocean Township School Districts the Lions club provided the 10,000th free vision screening. On Thursday in recognition as the 10,000th screening recipient, Ashton Vassor, an eighth-grade student at Eatontown’s Memorial School, was given a citation and gift card from the Lions Club. Ashton has been screened annually by the Lions since second grade. Also given a Lions Club Certificate was Memorial School Nurse Lucy Craig, one of the first Eatontown School District nurses to collaborate with the Lions when vision screening began in 2017. She was Ashton’s school nurse at Meadowbrook School when his vision was first screened. Working in conjunction with school nurses, vision screenings are done annually by the Eatontown Lions in September and October for students in Pre-K through 8th grade. “We really appreciate your help as well as the support of the Lions. Your work and partnership with us make a difference. The vision screening process as well as the resources the Lions provide to our students if a vision problem is discovered help our students to be in a better position to learn and succeed. Thank you.” said Scott T. McCue, Superintendent Eatontown Public Schools More than 12 million school-age children in the United States have some form of vision problem. Many vision problems run the risk of becoming permanent if not corrected by the time the eye reaches full maturity. Vision also plays an important role in education. According to educational experts, 80 percent of learning is visual. “Early screening leads to early detection, which helps ensure that children get the follow-up care they need,” said Club President Linda Butler. “We want to make sure that cor