'Callous Act' Gets Parsippany Carjacker 25 Years in Prison For Stuffing Woman in Trunk

An East Rutherford man will spend at least the next 21 years in prison for carjacking a New Hampshire woman, stealing her credit cards and money, then stuffing her in the trunk of her own car and leaving her in an industrial complex parking lot in Parsippany in Dec. 2012.

According to nj.com, the 25-year sentence was handed down Friday by Judge James DeMarzo in Superior Court in Morristown to Joseph DeFreitas, who pleaded guilty on Nov. 18 to a single charge of carjacking.

DeFreitas, 43, took the plea last fall and in doing so dropped charges of kidnapping, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, and credit card fraud.

In December of 2012, a New Hampshire woman, 71, lost her way while traveling home from a visit with family in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey.

While looking for directions, the victim pulled into a parking lot where she was approached by DeFreitas, who forced the woman into the passenger seat of the car.

DeFreitas then took control of the vehicle and drove the victim to the automated teller machine and forced her to take money out. DeFreitas then left the area with the co-defendant, Marilyn Nadeau, 53, following in a vehicle behind, Knapp said.

DeFreitas brought the car to an industrial park on Woodhollow Road in Parsippany, and he and Nadeau forced the victim into the trunk of her own car and fled the scene.

The victim was able to escape by making her way from the trunk into the backseat of the vehicle and freeing herself from the car before alerting authorities.

DeMarzo called the crime “one of the most callous acts I’ve seen,” according to the report.

DeFreitas, it was learned during sentencing, had spent most of his adult life in prison, the report said, serving 23 years in state prison in Missouri for rape, robbery and kidnapping. The convict was out of prison for just 11 months before committing the Parsippany crime.

The sentence handed down is for 25 years with the possibility of parole in 21 years. Nadeau’s charges are still pending.

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