Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office

Defendants Charged with Additional Counts of Robbery

Somerville – Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne J. Forrest and North Plainfield Chief of Police William Parenti announce that detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Squad in conjunction with detectives from the North Plainfield Police Department have charged Marquis Smith, 19, of Easton, Pennsylvania, with an additional count of first degree Robbery and one count of second degree Robbery. Nathanial Johnson Jr., 18, of Plainfield was also charged with an additional count of second degree Robbery.

Prosecutor Forrest stated that during the evening hours on Wednesday, January 21, 2009, the North Plainfield Police Department was contacted by a witness reporting observing a fight in progress. The North Plainfield Police Department responded to the area of Lincoln Place and determined that the incident was a robbery which involved several black male suspects and a handgun. Police then observed five individuals matching the description of the robbery suspects given to police by the witness sitting in a nearby vehicle. Officers conducted a motor vehicle stop on the vehicle occupied by the five individuals and located a silver BB style handgun inside the car. Within minutes of this robbery being reported, the North Plainfield Police were summoned to Chatham Street where they discovered another robbery victim. Police determined the same individuals responsible for the other robbery were involved with the second attack.

On January 21, 2009 defendant Marquis Smith, 19, and defendant Nathaniel Johnson, 18, were charged with one count of first degree Robbery and one count of second degree Robbery and have been lodged in the Somerset County Jail. Juveniles K.T., 17, of Plainfield, N.A., 17, of Plainfield, and A.S., 17, of Plainfield were also charged with one count of first degree Robbery and one count of second degree Robbery and were lodged at the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center.

Since the arrest of the five defendants, detectives have conducted additional interviews and continued to investigate these individuals for this possible involvement in a string of unsolved robberies. Detectives identified the suspects responsible for the following two robberies:

On Monday December 29, 2008, the North Plainfield PD responded at approximately 9:57 p.m. to a reported robbery that occurred at the intersection of Duer Street and Park Place. Police spoke to the victim who indicated he was approached and punched in the face by two black males and they subsequently took his wallet and cell phone from his pocket. The victim stated that two black males fled on foot and entered a four door beige sedan. Through the course of the investigation, police conducted several interviews and were able to identify defendant Marquis Smith as one of the assailants. The other assailants were identified as juveniles and their names cannot be released at this time.

On Thursday, January 15, 2009, the North Plainfield PD received a report of a robbery that occurred at approximately 7:42 p.m. in the area of Manning Avenue. Police responded and located the victim who indicated he was approached by three black males. One of the black males subsequently pointed a handgun at his chest and riffled through his pants pockets removing his wallet. The wallet contained $50.00 in U.S. currency. The victim sated the individuals returned to a mid-sized brown vehicle and fled the scene. Through the course of the investigation police conducted several interviews and were able to identify defendants Marquis Smith and Nathanial Johnson as two of the assailants.

Defendant Marquis Smith, 19, and defendant Nathanial Johnson, 18, remain in the Somerset County Jail in lieu of $100,000.00 cash or bond bail.

Prosecutor Forrest and Chief Parenti request that anyone with information pertaining to the robberies to contract the North Plainfield PD at (908) 769-2937, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Squad at (908) 231-7100, or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888577tips.org or www.scpo.net and clock on either “Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE”. All calls are confidential.

Note: We are required by the Rules of Court to include herein a statement explaining that the charges are merely an accusation and that the defendants and juveniles are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty or adjudicated delinquent.