MAYS LANDING – Two Atlantic County men were sentenced today for the 2012 fatal shooting of a 26-year-old Atlantic City man, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced today.
On May 10, 2012, at 4:45 a.m., Atlantic City Police discovered Joshua Hopewell, 26, of Atlantic City, on North Rhode Island Avenue with gunshot wounds to the head and torso. Hopewell was transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center-City Campus, Atlantic City, where he later died of his injuries.
At 11:15 p.m. the same day, members of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Atlantic City Police Department arrested Casey Robinson, then 20 years old, of the 100 block of North Vermont Avenue, Atlantic City, and Michael Rivera, then 22 years old, of Cedar Crest Avenue, Pleasantville. Both men were arrested without incident at Robinson’s residence.
Robinson and Rivera were charged with murder and weapons offenses, and lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility on $1 million cash bail.
On October 17, 2012, a grand jury indicted both men on seven criminal counts: murder, felony murder, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and weapons offenses.
In accordance with a plea agreement, both men pled guilty to the charge of aggravated manslaughter, and were sentenced today by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Mark Sandson.
Judge Sandson sentenced Casey Robinson to 25 years of incarceration in New Jersey State prison. Pursuant to the No Early Release Act (NERA), he must serve 85% of the sentence, or 21 years and 3 months, before becoming eligible for parole.
Michael Rivera was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment; pursuant to the No Early Release Act (NERA), he must serve 85% of the sentence, or 17 years in prison, before becoming eligible for parole.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Donna Fetzer represented the State in the case.
Anyone with information involving serious crimes is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800 or go to the Prosecutor’s Office Web site at http://www.acpo.org/tips.html and provide information by filling out the form anonymously on the Submit a Tip page. People can also call Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or visit the Crime Stoppers Website at http://www.crimestoppersatlantic.com/. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those who commit crimes in Atlantic County.
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