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A Monmouth County grand jury returned an eight-count indictment charging three men with the fatal shooting of a 27-year-old Ocean County man in Asbury Park on Thanksgiving Eve last year, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced in a written statement.

Vernon Sanders, 34, of Brick, Steven J. Taylor, 36, and Avery Hopes, 23, both of Asbury Park, are charged with first degree conspiracy to commit murder, first degree murder and second degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose. Sanders and Hopes are charged with second degree unlawful possession of a weapon and the second degree certain persons not to possess weapons, while Taylor also faces a charge of first degree unlawful possession of a weapon.

The charges stem from the Nov 22 shooting in the area of 150 Prospect Avenue in Asbury Park, officials said. The Asbury Park Police responded to the area after hearing the sound of gunshots at approximately 10:32 p.m. Officers quickly arrived and located the victim, Denzel Morgan-Hicks, 27, of Barnegat, in the driver’s side front seat of a 2017 Ford Expedition, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Asbury Park Fire Department Emergency Medical Services and MONOC paramedics also responded, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

A joint investigation by detectives from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the local police department identified Sanders, Taylor and Hopes as the individuals responsible for Morgan-Hicks’ death.

If convicted of murder, the three face a minimum sentence of 30 years without parole, and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. If convicted of conspiracy, they face a sentence of up to 20 years, and a conviction for either murder or conspiracy is subject to the provisions of the No Early Release Act, which requires each to serve 85 percent of any sentence imposed before being eligible for parole.

If convicted of possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, the maximum sentence is a 10 years, pursuant to the Graves Act mandate of one half of the custodial sentence [or 42 months, whichever is greater] before being eligible for parole.

If convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon, Taylor faces up to 20 years in a state prison, also subject to the Graves Act, while Sanders and Hopes face 10 years for the same offence.

If convicted of the certain persons not to possess weapons, Sanders and Taylor face up to 10 years, with a five-year mandatory period of parole ineligibility.

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Bogner.

Sanders is represented by Emeka Nkwuo of Freehold; Taylor by Carlos Diaz-Cobo of New Brunswick; and Hopes by Glenn Kassman of Point Pleasant Beach.

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