Early Tuesday Morning in Paterson New Jersey a taxi driver was robbed at gunpoint by two passengers. The 37 year old taxi driver was dropping them off at their destination when they held him up. Two Suspects got into his taxi and wanted a ride to Park Avenue and 22nd East Street. The two got into the vehicle originally at Markey Street and Main Street. The taxi driver gave them all of his cash after they demanded it from him on the street corner. The incident happened around 2 pm and the two robbers were seen running off towards Broadway Street, police have said.
Under N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1 which is Robbery. Robbery involves inflicting bodily injury or using force on another, threatening and using any type of weapon in the act of committing a theft. It is a crime of the 2nd degree if the person only inflicts bodily injury or uses threatening behavior to complete the theft. It becomes a crime of the 1st degree if a gun is used, any one is attempted to be killed, serious bodily injury is attempted. In this case it was a crime of the 1st degree which is very severe. A person found guilty of a crime of the 1st degree is looking at 10 to 20 years in New Jersey State Prison. Under N.E.R.A. the No Early Release Act they must serve 85% of their sentence before they can be given parole.
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