MAYS LANDING – An Atlantic City man was convicted for his part in the 2012 armed robbery and assault of a pizza delivery driver on North Maryland Avenue in Atlantic City, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced.
Yesterday, an Atlantic County jury found Jamil Ragsdale, 19, of the 800 block of North Virginia Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ, guilty of armed robbery—a 1st degree crime, conspiracy to commit armed robbery—a 2nd degree crime, and aggravated assault—a 2nd degree crime, for the Jan. 16, 2012 robbery of Domino’s Pizza Shop delivery driver Muhamed Bilal, of Galloway Township.
Atlantic City Police responded shortly after midnight to the Domino’s Pizza Shop on Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City, to investigate the reported robbery. They found Bilal bleeding from a broken nose and injuries to his face and head, and ordered him transported to the Atlantic City Medical Center—City Campus by ambulance.
Bilal reported that he had been dispatched with a pizza order to an address on the 700 block of North Maryland Avenue, where he was confronted upon arrival by a group of men wearing masks, one of them armed with what appeared to be an “M16 type” rifle. Bilal said that the armed man “racked” a round into the chamber, and that another man wearing brass knuckles struck him in the face and head repeatedly.
The men robbed Bilal of $460.00 in cash, his cellphone, and the pizza order.
On February 22, 2012, Atlantic City Police charged and arrested three males on juvenile petitions for the robbery: Jamil Ragsdale, then 17-years-old, Donte Ford, 17, of the 900 block of Magellan Avenue, Atlantic City, and Shakeem Roberts, 16, of the 900 block of Virginia Avenue.
On June 5, 2012, jurisdiction in the matter was waived to Superior Court, Law Division – Criminal Part, where the three defendants would be prosecuted as adults. Bail was set by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge James L. Jackson at $100,000 cash, and the three were ordered to be lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility in default of bail.
According to a negotiated plea agreement, both Donte Ford and Shakeem Roberts pled guilty to 2nd degree robbery earlier this year, and were sentenced on Mar. 21st and April 15th, respectively, to 5 years of incarceration in New Jersey State prison.
Pursuant to the No Early Release Act (NERA), each must serve 85% of the sentence, or 4 years and 3 months, before becoming eligible for parole. The sentence includes 3 years of parole supervision after release.
Yesterday afternoon, after a three-day trial before Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Albert Garofolo, the jury found that Jamil Ragsdale was the man armed with the rifle, and found Ragsdale guilty on all 3 counts.
Judge Garofolo revoked Ragsdale’s bail, and ordered him lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Ragsdale is scheduled for sentencing by Judge Garofolo on July 21, 2014 at 8:45 a.m.
A 1st degree crime carries a potential penalty of 10-20 years of incarceration in New Jersey State Prison. A 2nd degree crime carries a potential penalty of 5-10 years imprisonment.
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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