TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Howell Township man has been found guilty of breaking into a home and firing multiple gunshots in Jackson in October 2024, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office said.
Gardin A. Guevara-Umanzor, 47, was found guilty on Thursday of burglary, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, aggravated assault, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, following a four-week-long jury trial before Superior Court Judge Kenneth T. Palmer, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.
Authorities said Guevara-Umanzor broke into a home on New Prospect Road shortly after 1 a.m. on Oct. 13, 2024, where there were adults and two children present and started shooting. One person tried to disarm him, but that person fell as Guevara-Umanzor kept firing, the prosecutor’s office said.
Others tried to disarm him and Guevara-Umanzor dropped the gun and took off. He was found by police at the home next door and arrested, and has been held at the Ocean County Jail since then, the prosecutor’s office said.
Guevara-Umanzor is scheduled to be sentenced on March 27 and faces up to 10 years in prison on the burglary charge, subject to the No Early Release Act, which requires that he serve at least 85 percent of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole. He also faces up to 10 years in prison on each of the weapons offenses, along with 5 years in prison on the two counts of endangering and 18 months on the aggravated assault charge, the prosecutor’s office said.