MV death, burglary sentences ruled not excessive
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
press release October 30, 2013
A Woodbury NJ man’s six- year New Jersey state prison sentence in a 2011 vehicular homicide and a Wrightstown NJ man’s five- year NJSP term for a series of Greenwich Township burglaries between May and July 2011 were both found to be not excessive by a state appeals court.
The court heard oral arguments on the cases last week. Assistant Gloucester County Prosecutor Joseph Enos, who opposed the appeals of Rene Berben’s (DOB 9/3/85) sentence in his death by auto case and that of Efrain Rodriguez (DOB 8/26/79) for his admitted break-ins was notified of the decisions Tuesday (10/29).
Berben, who had been a U.S. Army recruiter in Woodbury NJ, pleaded guilty 7/13/12 to driving drunk when his vehicle struck and killed 29-year-old Runnemede resident Steven Kennedy in a two-vehicle crash in Deptford NJ on 3/19/11. His sentence requires that he serve 85 percent of the prison term before becoming eligible for parole.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty to second degree and third degree burglaries on 5/29/12. The second-degree offense involved theft of firearms. Additional burglary and theft charges were dismissed in a negotiated plea. Rodriguez is also subject to the state’s No Early Release Act 85 percent condition.