Howell Man Sentenced For Shooting At Adults, Children After Home Break-In

HOWELL, NJ — A Howell Township man has been sentenced to prison for breaking into an apartment in Jackson and shooting at the adults and children present, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

Gardin A. Guevara-Umanzor, 47, was sentenced Friday to seven years in prison for burglary by Superior Court Judge Kenneth T. Palmer, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Guevara-Umanzor, who was convicted in January following a four-week trial before Palmer, also was sentenced to five years in prison for unlawful possession of a weapon, 18 months for aggravated assault, and four years in prison each for two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, authorities said.

The burglary sentence is subject to the No Early Release Act, meaning Guevara-Umanzor must serve 85 percent of the sentence (nearly six years) before he is eligible for parole. The weapons offense carries a 42-month period of parole ineligibility.

The sentences run concurrently, the prosecutor's office said.

Authorities said Guevara-Umanzor broke into a home on New Prospect Road shortly after 1 a.m. on Oct. 13, 2024, and started shooting. There were adults and two children present but none suffered gunshot wounds.

One person tried to disarm him, but that person fell as Guevara-Umanzor kept firing, the prosecutor's office said.

Others tried to disarm him and Guevara-Umanzor dropped the gun and took off. He was found by police at the home next door and arrested, and has been held at the Ocean County Jail since then.