Armed Robbery and Kidnapping may land Asbury Park man in jail for nearly two-decades
An Asbury Park man faces 18-years in prison after pleading guilty to first degree kidnapping and armed robbery charges, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office.
24-year old Hakiem K. Wadud, who plead guilty on Friday May 25, had been accused of entering the car of his victims in Asbury Park around 11:00 pm on November 13, 2016, and demanded money at gunpoint from both people inside.
One victim was short, so they took a ride to the Wawa between Routes 33 and 35 in Neptune Township to access an ATM.
After Wadud got the money, he took off, but was arrested shortly after 4:00 am, just hours later, when he returned to the Wawa on his own.
A Bradley Beach police officer, who happened to be shopping there at that time, approached Wadud and detained him until Asbury Park and Neptune Township police officers arrived on scene to take him into custody.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Wadud faces a term of 18 years in New Jersey state prison, with 85 percent of the sentence, or approximately 15 years and 4 months, before any possible release on parole pursuant to the “No Early Release Act” (NERA).
A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Neptune Township Police Department, and Asbury Park Police Department revealed that the robbery culminated at the Wawa but began in Asbury Park.
Wadud is scheduled to return before Judge Torregossa-O’Connor for sentencing on July 20, 2018.
He remains in custody at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution.
The case is assigned to Assistant Prosecutor Martha Nye.
Wadud is represented by Robert Konzelmann, Esq., of Howell Township.
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