Five Charged With Narcotics, Weapons Offenses Following Assault in Lower Township

Five people have been charged in connection with an armed robbery in Lower Township, Cape May County Prosecutor Robert L. Taylor and Lower Township Police Chief William Mastriana announced on Monday.

Members of the Lower Township Police Department responded to a disturbance in the Villas section of the township around 12:40 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

Upon arrival, Officers located a 23-year-old male lying in the street suffering from facial contusions.

The victim was transported to Cape Regional Medical Center where he was treated and released.

The victim told the officers he had been “pistol whipped” and robbed of $800 by two strange men while visiting a friend.

The officers subsequently stopped two vehicles that had left the area of the assault.

The first vehicle was driven by 34-year-old Christopher Hill, of Glenolden, Pennsylvania. Hill was found to be in possession of three handguns and 25 bags of suspected heroin.

Desiree Sangillo, 38, and Shaun Shuman, 34, both of the Villas, were in the other vehicle.

A further investigation by the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office and the Lower Township and Middle Township police departments resulted in the authorized search of a home in the Del Haven section of Middle Township by the Cape May County Regional SWAT team.

The search resulted in the seizure of another handgun and additional amounts of heroin, prescription pills, currency, drug paraphernalia and the recovery of items that were taken from the victim.

Jermaine Mills, 37, of the Green Creek section of Middle Township, and Destyn Harper, 28, of Wildwood, were arrested.

The charges for each person were as follows:

Mills was charged with robbery, a crime of the first degree, aggravated assault, a crime of the third degree, and numerous weapons offenses. Mills was lodged in the Cape May County Correctional Center in lieu of $250,000 full cash bail;

Harper was charged with robbery, a crime of the first degree, aggravated assault, a crime of the third degree, and numerous weapons offenses. Harper was lodged in the Cape May County Correctional Center in lieu of $250,000 full cash bail;

Hill was charged with unlawful possession of a handgun, possession of a firearm while committing drug crimes, possession of hollow point bullets, possession of CDS with the intent to distribute, and possession of a hypodermis needle. Hill was lodged in the Cape May County Correctional Center in lieu of $200,000 full cash bail;

Sangillo was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, a crime of the second degree. Sangillo was lodged in the Cape May County Correctional Center in lieu of $100,000 bail; and

Shuman was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, a crime of the second degree. Shuman was lodged in the Cape May County Correctional Center in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Those convicted of a first degree crime are subject to a term of imprisonment of up to 10 to 20 years in New Jersey State Prison.

Taylor said his office is committed to fighting the war on drugs and violence and ultimately seek out the individuals who are responsible for distributing these dangerous drugs in the community.

He added that prescription pills have become a “gateway drug” to heroin and the increase in prescription drug abuse is fueling a rise in heroin addiction.

He urged the citizens of Cape May County to report any information regarding illegal drug activity and or any criminal activity within community. This information can be reported anonymously through the Cape May County Sheriffs Tip Line at cmcsheriff.net and click on anonymous tip, or through the Cape May County Crime Stoppers at 609-465-2800 or 877-465- 2801, Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-465-1168.