Man who tried to kidnap young lakewood girl gets 7 years in prison

TOMS RIVER, N.J. – A Farmingdale man has been sentenced to seven years in state prison for attempting to kidnap a teenage girl and committing multiple other crimes during a violent spree across Ocean and Burlington counties in March 2024, prosecutors announced Friday.

Quamel Benton, 36, received a seven-year sentence for attempted kidnapping, which falls under the No Early Release Act, requiring him to serve at least 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Benton was also sentenced to two five-year terms for eluding police and 18 months for criminal sexual contact. Some of these sentences will run consecutively, extending his total prison time.

On March 21, 2024, Benton attempted to pull a teenage girl into his SUV in Lakewood, but she escaped and ran home. Hours later, Benton groped a woman in the parking lot of a Target store in Toms River before fleeing the scene. Police pursued him, but Benton escaped after a high-speed chase.

In the early hours of March 22, Benton was caught after attempting to break into another woman’s car in Toms River. He crashed his vehicle during a police chase and was arrested following a brief foot pursuit.

Investigators linked Benton to all incidents in Lakewood, Toms River, and a related aggravated assault in Willingboro, where he faces separate charges, including attempted murder and child neglect.

Benton has been in custody since his arrest and will continue serving his sentence in New Jersey State Prison.

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