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Man sentenced to 4 years in prison for auto theft in Morris County

MORRISTOWN, NJ (Morris County) – A 20-year-old Newark man was sentenced to four years in prison for auto theft in Morris County, according to Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll.

On August 15, 2021, the Mountain Lakes Police Department responded to a residence for a report of a 2017 black Maserati Ghibli. The vehicle was then recovered later that  morning in Newark, Carroll said.

A subsequent investigation identified Raymond Branch as a suspect. Cellular telephone records, provided by Essex County authorities, were analyzed by Mountain Lakes Police and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Intelligence Unit, Carroll said.

The examination revealed that Branch used real estate and mapping applications on his cellular phone in the area of the theft in Mountain Lakes on the morning of August 15, 2021, Carroll said.

Members of the Morris County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) section forensically processed the Maserati, which resulted in the recovery of a latent fingerprint from the interior of the front driver door window that matched Branch, Carroll said.

Branch was arrested on April 5, 2022, and detained pending trial. On August 2, 2022, Branch entered a plea of guilt to third-degree theft of a motor vehicle, Carroll said.

On Feb. 24, the Honorable Noah Franzblau sentenced Branch to four years in prison for the theft conviction, Carroll said.

Jay Edwards

Born and raised in Northwest NJ, Jay has a degree in Communications and has had a life-long interest in local radio and various styles of music. Jay has held numerous jobs over the years such as stunt car driver, bartender, voice-over artist, traffic reporter (award winning), NY Yankee maintenance crewmember and peanut farm worker. His hobbies include mountain climbing, snowmobiling, cooking, performing stand-up comedy and he is an avid squirrel watcher. Jay has been a guest on America’s Morning Headquarters,program on The Weather Channel, and was interviewed by Sam Champion.

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