OCEAN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY — Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced the sentencing of Raphael Powell, a 38-year-old resident of Toms River, to a 25-year term in New Jersey State Prison. On March 1, Powell was sentenced by Judge Guy P. Ryan for a series of charges including weapons offenses, terroristic threats, and narcotics possession stemming from an incident on July 2, 2022.
Powell’s sentencing includes 20 years with a 10-year period of parole ineligibility for unlawful possession of a handgun and an additional five years with 42 months of parole ineligibility for possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, to be served consecutively. Furthermore, concurrent sentences were handed down for charges of being a certain person not to possess a firearm, terroristic threats, possession of hollow nose bullets, possession of a large capacity magazine, and possession of Fentanyl.
The conviction follows a week-long jury trial concluding on January 11, where Powell was found guilty of all charges. The arrest was the result of a Toms River Township Police Department investigation into a July 2, 2022, assault where Powell was identified as the aggressor. Upon his arrest on July 3, Powell was found with a stolen handgun loaded with hollow nose bullets and in possession of Fentanyl.
Powell is mandated to serve at least 13.5 years of his sentence before being eligible for parole.