FREEHOLD – A Monmouth County jury sitting in the courtroom of Superior Court Judge Vincent N. Falcetano returned a guilty verdict for a Tinton Falls man who retaliated against a 63-year-old individual with special needs last year, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Luis Vializ, 49, of Tinton Falls, was convicted Friday morning of second degree Witness Retaliation, third degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, fourth degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and fourth degree Receiving Stolen Property. The verdict came after a three-day trial prosecuted by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Caitlin Sidley and Amanda Dalton Clark.
Vializ was found in possession of a stolen bicycle in Neptune Township on Sept. 19, 2018, and following his arrest was informed the victim of the bike theft was a 63-year-old individual with special needs. Nearly a month later, on Oct. 11, 2018, Vializ observed that same victim inside of an establishment in the Jumping Brook Plaza in the township, where the bike was secured outside. Upon seeing both the bike and the victim, Vializ used a hammer to repeatedly strike the bike and threatened to strike the special needsvictim, in an act of retaliation.
Vializ is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 13, 2019. He is eligible for extended term sentencing and faces a maximum of 20 years in a New Jersey state prison with 10 years of parole ineligibility.
Vializ is represented by John M. Murphy, III, Esq., of Farmingdale.
# # #
