Prosecutor: 38-Year-Old Area Man Gets Life in Prison for 2022 Murder

A 38-year-old area man has been sentenced to life in prison, plus 46 years, in connection with the 2022 murder of a Lakewood man, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Friday.

On Friday, Aug. 16, the man, Jaszhark A. Rogers, was convicted at trial on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder, first-degree armed robbery, first-degree conspiracy to commit robbery and three second-degree weapons charges.

Rogers was sentenced on Friday, Nov. 1, before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Joseph W. Oxley. He was sentenced to life in prison plus two consecutive 18-year sentences on the armed robbery and weapons charges. He was sentenced another 10 years for a “certain persons not to have weapons” charge.

The case background …

Shortly after 12:15 a.m. on Saturday, June 18, 2022, Asbury Park police responded to the 1200 block of Washington Avenue where they found the victim, Yahnie Patterson, 26, of Lakewood, lying mortally wounded in the roadway having sustained severe head trauma. Patterson was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where he eventually succumbed to his injuries on Monday, June 21, 2022.

An investigation conducted by members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Bureau and the City of Asbury Park Police Department revealed Rogers, along with Shakri A. Prince, 31, also of Asbury Park, schemed to rob Patterson of cash and property after an hours-long dice game.

Rogers chased him from an alley where the dice game was played. Prince caught Patterson and struck him with a handgun in the skull, while Rogers then kicked and stomped the defenseless Patterson about the head and neck as he lay in the street.

The investigation also resulted in two other defendants, Erikah E. Handy, 24, of Neptune Township and Tyonna N. Henderson, 34, of Asbury Park, being arrested in connection with the robbery of Patterson and aiding in the flight of Rogers and Prince from the scene.

Prince, Handy, and Henderson have already pleaded guilty. Prince pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Oct. 29, to charges of first-degree aggravated manslaughter and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.

Handy pled guilty to two counts of third-degree theft and Henderson pled guilty to one count of fourth-degree tampering with evidence. Both Handy and Henderson entered their pleas on Wednesday, Oct.30. All three are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Oxley on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025.

The case was handled by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Michael Luciano of the Major Crimes Bureau. Rogers was represented by John J. Perrone, Esq., of Long Branch.

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office