A man with an extensive criminal record received a near-maximum sentence after being convicted of carjacking in West Orange, New Jersey.
On December 4, 42-year-old Clarence Williams was sentenced to a term of incarceration of 25 years, of which he is mandated to serve 21 1/2 before becoming eligible for parole.
Williams, formerly of Newark, was convicted of carjacking on September 25. A Bergen County Superior Court jury decided that Williams did, in fact, steal a car from a West Orange resident on June 24, 2011 at an Exxon gas station in West Orange, New Jersey.
According to Essex County prosecutors, while the owner of the vehicle, an Infiniti, was attempting to add air to his tires, Williams jumped into the driver’s seat of the car and attempted to drive away. The owner tried to stop him, at which time the owner’s leg became stuck underneath the car. As Williams was driving away, the owner was dragged approximately 45 yards. The victim let go of the car and proceeded to the side of the road before being hit by another driver.
Authorities investigated and found the stolen vehicle a few days after the incident, parked two miles away from Williams’ residence in Newark. Officials tested some of the items found in the car, namely a cigarette and a soda bottle, which contained Williams’ DNA. This evidence was used by the prosecution to prove Williams’ guilt during the trial.
Before Williams’ sentencing, prosecutors requested that Williams should receive the maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment. They said that his extensive criminal history, encompassing 21 arrests and five convictions on felony charges, warranted such a severe sentence for the crime for which he was most recently found guilty.
Williams’ prior history is one of the aggravating and mitigating factors that judges consider before sentencing. One can assume that these factors influenced Essex County Superior Court Judge Michael Ravin’s decision to sentence Williams to 25 years.
For more information pertaining to this case, access the following article: Newark man sentenced to 25 years in prison for West Orange carjacking.
