On June 12, a Monmouth County grand jury returned an indictment charging Daquin Calhoun, 18, of Freehold Borough, with one count of firstdegree attempted murder, one count of second degree aggravated assault, one count of fourth-degree aggravated assault by pointing a firearm, one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, and one count of second-degree possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose. The charges are the result of an investigation into an incident that occurred in Freehold Borough in March.
According to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, on March 5 at 6:12 p.m., officers from the Freehold Borough Police Department were dispatched to the area of the Rug Mill Towers apartment complex on Jackson Street in response to a report that gunshots had been fired there. The officers’ preliminary investigation revealed that an unknown individual had fired a gun about four times at a 17-year-old Freehold Townshipman outside of the entrance of the Rug Mill Towers. None of the shots struck the victim. Four spent shell casings were recovered from the sidewalk and the street.
An investigation conducted by the Freehold Borough Police Department led to the identification of Daquin Calhoun as the alleged shooter. Calhoun was arrested on unrelated charges later that evening. On March 6, he was arrested and charged in connection with the shooting outside the Rug Mill Towers. Calhoun has been held at the Monmouth County jail, Freehold Township, since that time in lieu of $90,000 bail.
If convicted of attempted murder, Calhoun faces a maximum potential custodial sentence of up to 20 years in New Jersey state prison. If convicted of second-degree aggravated assault, Calhoun faces a maximum potential custodial sentence of up to 10 years. Attempted murder and second degree aggravated assault are both subject to the No Early Release Act, which means that Calhoun would have to serve 85 percent of any sentence imposed for those crimes before becoming eligible for release on parole.
If convicted of fourth degree aggravated assault by pointing a firearm, Calhoun faces a maximum custodial sentence of 18 months. Pursuant to the Graves Act, Calhoun would be required to serve the full 18 months without being eligible for parole. If convicted of unlawful possession of a handgun, Calhoun faces a maximum potential custodial sentence of up to 10 years. Pursuant to the Graves Act, Calhoun would be required to serve a minimum of three years before becoming eligible for release on parole. If convicted of possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose, Calhoun faces a maximum potential custodial sentence of up to 10 years, and pursuant to the Graves Act he would be required to serve a minimum of three years before becoming eligible for release on parole.
The next court proceeding will be the arraignment of the defendant, which is the formal presentation of the indictment to the defendant. The arraignment will be scheduled within the next 45 days before state Superior Court Judge Bette E. Uhrmacher, to whom the case is assigned.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin praised the Freehold Borough Police Department for the swift apprehension of the defendant.