Man Sentenced To 14 Years For Millburn Carjacking, Kidnapping: AG

MILLBURN, NJ - Ahmed Anthony, 30, of Newark, was sentenced today to 14 years in state prison after pleading guilty to first-degree carjacking and second-degree kidnapping, according to a press release by Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal Monday. Superior Court Judge Ronald D. Wigler's sentence includes 12 years of parole ineligibility in Essex County. Anthony pleaded guilty on June 26.

Anthony admitted during commission of the carjacking in Millburn last November he grabbed a 13-year-old girl around the neck in front of her father and threatened to kill her.

“We have ensured that this defendant will spend many years behind bars, where he cannot bring violent crime to our communities or terrorize a family and a young girl the way he did during this armed carjacking,” said Grewal. “This lengthy prison sentence reflects our determination to protect New Jersey residents from this type of dangerous criminal.”

According to officials, Anthony and two unidentified co-conspirators ambushed a family at about 1:48 a.m. on Nov. 27, 2017, as the family returned from vacation to their home in Millburn. After the mother and an older child went into the house, the 13-year-old girl and her father were bringing luggage toward the home from their Range Rover.

That is when Anthony grabbed the girl from behind in a choke hold and pulled her back toward the Range Rover, officials said. The father heard a man yell, “Give me your keys or I will kill your daughter.” He turned to see Anthony holding his daughter and a second man who approached him with what appeared to be a handgun and demanded his money and keys to the Range Rover in which the family arrived. The father handed the keys to the second man, who drove away in the Range Rover, officials said.

At that point, Anthony, while still holding the daughter, demanded that the father get the keys to a second Range Rover parked in the driveway. The father went into the house and retrieved the second set of keys, officials said. Once outside, the father turned over the keys and the daughter was released. Anthony took the girl’s suitcase and her blanket and the father and daughter went into the house, where the father retrieved a handgun and went back outside, officials said.

He confronted Anthony, who was in the second Range Rover and apparently having trouble starting the vehicle. The father pointed the gun at Anthony and ordered him to get onto the ground. Anthony exited the vehicle but fled into the street on foot and was picked up in a minivan driven by the third co-conspirator, officials said.

“Justice demanded the lengthy prison sentence that was imposed today for this brutal carjacking,” said Director Veronica Allende of the Division of Criminal Justice. “Carjackings are inherently violent and terrifying crimes, but Anthony’s conduct was especially heinous because of his cruel assault on a child.”

The indictment was the result of an investigation by the Millburn Police Department, the Division of Criminal Justice and the New Jersey State Police.

“No parent should have to endure the horror of having their child’s life threatened in front of them, and our hearts go out to the child who had to endure this traumatic experience,” said Colonel Patrick Callahan of the New Jersey State Police. “I am thankful the State Police were able to provide investigative support to our partners in the Millburn Police Department.”

Anthony was arrested on Jan. 11 by the New Jersey State Police Fugitive Unit, the Millburn Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Task Force Newark Division and the New Jersey State Police Auto Theft Task Force.

“We have secured a long prison term for this violent offender who terrorized a Short Hills family,” said Chief Brian Gilfedder of the Millburn Police Department. “This was the result of a great collaborative investigation by the Millburn Police Department, Division of Criminal Justice, New Jersey State Police, and the U.S. Marshals Service.”

Detective Roberto Delgado, Detective John Mendelsohn, Detective Chris Derosa and Detective Joao Rebelo investigated the case for the Millburn Police Department under the supervision of Lt. Dave Bonney. Detective Sgt. Jarek Pyrzanowski assisted with the investigation for the Division of Criminal Justice as a member of the State Police Auto Theft Task Force.

Detective Sgt. Michael Van Lenten of the State Police Crime Scene Investigations Bureau assisted in the investigation. Attorney General Grewal commended all of the investigators, as well as the agencies that apprehended Anthony: the State Police Fugitive Unit, Millburn Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Task Force and State Police Auto Theft Task Force.

(Photo courtesy of the Office of the Attorney General)

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