News
Two Found Guilty In Robbery Of Shrewsbury Avenue Jewelry Store
By John Burton
RED BANK - A jury in Freehold last week found two borough men guilty for their involvement in a robbery of a west side jewelry store nearly two years ago.
The jury on April 2, found Michael Livingston, 23, and Carlos Delevry, 21, both Red Bank residents, guilty of first degree armed robbery, second degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and third degree unlawful possession of a weapon in connection, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, Freehold.
The charges concerned the two men's participation in a robbery of the Little Diamond jewelry store, 108 Shrewsbury Avenue, perpetrated on July 18, 2007.
According to authorities, Livingston and Delevry had entered the store that summer day posing as customers. Livingston told the store's owner, he was interested in buying a nameplate for a woman's necklace as a gift for his girlfriend. The storeowner, the Prosecutor's Office said, gave Livingston and his companion, later identified as Delevry, a photocopy of the nameplate taken from a catalogue.
A few minutes later, the Prosecutor's Office said, the men returned under the pretext of continuing the discussion of the nameplate purchase. Shortly after reentering the premises, Livingston lifted his shirt, showing a handgun stuck in his waistband. Delevry took the weapon from Delevry's waistband and pointed it at the storeowner, even breaking the weapon open to show the owner that the weapon was indeed loaded, with five cartridges.
Livingston went into the store's adjoining office and escorted the owner's wife and one-year-old son out of it.
Delevry held the three at gunpoint, while Livingston searched the office, taking the available cash, but demanding more money. When the owner told the two assailants there was no other money, Livingston threatened the victims, telling the parents to think of their son, while Delevry cocked the weapon, authorities charged.
At that time another customer entered the store, causing Delevry to slip the weapon into his waistband, and to leave the store with Livingston.
But the men left the photocopy catalogue page. From that evidence and from the forensic investigation of the entire crime scene, investigators were able to obtain latent fingerprints, which, when analyzed by the New Jersey State Police Forensic and Technical Services Unit, were identified as those of Delevry and Livingston's, authorities said.
During the trial, both the storeowner and his wife were able to identify the two men as the culprits, the prosecutor's office said.
Livingston and Delevry are scheduled to be sentenced in Superior Court on May 29, and each face as much as 20 years in prison on the first degree armed robbery charge. On the weapons charges the two could face additional 10- and five-year sentences.
The offenses also qualify for the No Early Release Act, the Prosecutor's Office said, indicating the men would have to serve at least 17 years in prison before being considered for parole.
Superior Court Judge Anthony J. Mellaci Jr. ordered both men to be held without bail, pending their sentencing and are currently incarcerated in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, Freehold.
