Nutley Man Who Shot Belleville Native, Cop, Gets 15-Year Jail Sentence

The man who shot Belleville native and Fairfield police officer Gerald Veneziano was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Monday.

The plea deal was reached the day before Roberts trial was to begin, according to a report.

Preye Roberts, 28, of Nutley - arrested six years ago for shooting the off-duty Veneziano in a parking lot near Fairfield police headquarters - pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon in Essex County Superior Court in March, NorthJersey.com reported.

Veneziano managed to return fire, but was seriously wounded during the encounter, suffering a shattered jaw, two collapsed lungs and a broken femur.

His recovery was reportedly aided by a series of incredibly fortunate coincidences, including an Atlantic Healthcare ambulance already in the area, a passing West Caldwell police officer with experience in Iraq and a package of QuikClot, and the timely retention of a leading bullet wound surgeon at University Medical Center in Newark.

Read the full survival account here.

Roberts had originally pleaded not guilty on Feb. 27, 2015 to the attempted murder charge, more than four years after he was indicted on Sept. 27, 2010, making his one of the oldest outstanding cases in the county, NorthJersey.com stated.

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