TOMS RIVER – A Farmingdale man was sentenced to prison for a series of crimes that included trying to kidnap a teenager.
Quamel Benton, 36, of Farmingdale, was sentenced to seven years in New Jersey State Prison for Attempted Kidnapping. Subject to the No Early Release Act, he will have to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before being considered for parole. Additionally, he was sentenced to five years for each of his two counts of Eluding, and 18 months for Criminal Sexual Contact.
The Attempted Kidnapping and one Eluding sentence will run at the same time. The Criminal Sexual Contact and the second Eluding sentence will run consecutively.
The judge imposed additional fines and penalties, including the suspension of his driving privileged since he was driving while intoxicated at the time of the other crimes.
Lakewood Police received a 911 call around 7:30 p.m. March 21, 2024 about an attempted kidnapping near Forest Park Circle. Witnesses said a man tried to force a teenage girl into a white SUV. Authorities said that the girl was able to break free, which forced the unidentified man to flee the area.
The police got a description of the suspect and the vehicle. About 90 minutes later, Toms River Police got a report about a sexual assault in the Target parking lot on Hooper Avenue. The victim said she had been approached by a man and grabbed in an inappropriate manner.
According to reports, police saw the vehicle fleeing the parking lot and followed. The vehicle was speeding and driving erratically onto the Garden State Parkway north exit so police ended pursuit to protect other people on the road.
They were able to get a registration number for the vehicle, subsequently identifying the driver as Benton. The information on the driver was tied to the incident in Lakewood and an alert for an aggravated assault that had happened earlier that day in Willingboro Township.
At 12:40 a.m. the next morning, Toms River Police were called about a man attempting to enter a car occupied by a woman. Police arrived at the scene and identified Benton as the suspect. Benton fled in his SUV and was followed by police. He crashed into a utility pole near the intersection of Route 70 and Whitesville Road. He ran from the vehicle but was apprehended, officials said.
On March 28, Benton was ordered to remain detained in the Burlington County Jail on unrelated charges of Attempted Murder, Aggravated Assault, Endangering an Injured Victim, and five counts of Cruelty and Neglect of Children, arising out of incidents occurring in Willingboro Township, Burlington County, on March 21. Benton has been lodged in the Burlington County Jail since his apprehension.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer acknowledged the efforts of Assistant Prosecutor Victoria Veni who handled the case on behalf of the State, as well as the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit, Lakewood Police, Toms River Police, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office Forensic Services Unit, Willingboro Township Police Department, and New Jersey State Police, for their combined and collective efforts.
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