After a five-week trial, a Monmouth County jury found a 28-year-old area man guilty of first-degree attempted murder and facing anywhere from 20 years to life in prison in connection with an April 2014 shooting in Red Bank, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni announced on Tuesday.
In addition to the attempted murder conviction, Anthony Sims, 28, of Long Branch, was also found guilty of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
The case background …
Evidence presented during the trial, which concluded on Tuesday afternoon, revealed that on April 9, 2014, Sims traveled to Red Bank where he found the victim, Perry Veney, seated in the driver’s seat of his car at 13 Willow Street, his grandmother’s home.
Using a semi-automatic handgun, Sims fired 15 rounds into the car where Veney was seated, striking Veney more than ten times. Veney was airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he underwent multiple lifesaving operations.
As a result of a joint investigation conducted by the Red Bank Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Sims was arrested on April 14, 2014 for the shooting of Perry Veney. At the time of his arrest, Sims was under parole supervision for a previous Red Bank conviction of attempted manslaughter, having recently been released from state prison on Jan. 13, 2014.
The trial was presided over by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Thomas F. Scully.
Sims is scheduled to return before Judge Scully for sentencing on Aug. 18.
Due to his prior criminal record, Sims is extended term eligible and faces a minimum sentence of 20 years New Jersey state prison and a maximum term of life. Any sentence imposed will require Sims to serve 85 percent of the term before being eligible for parole, pursuant to the No Early Release Act.
This case was prosecuted by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Martha Nye and Caitlin Sidley.
Sims is represented by John Perrone, Esquire, of Long Branch.
— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office
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