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A Neptune man was arrested Wednesday in connection with a shooting that occurred in Asbury Park in December of last year, according to a news release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

Kenneth Bailey, 24, of Milton Avenue, is charged with first degree attempted murder, second degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and second degree unlawful possession of a weapon.

Bailey’s arrest stems from an incident on Dec. 10, 2013, when Asbury Park police responded to a report of a shooting victim who arrived at the Asbury Park Fire Department on Main Street. City police responded and the victim, a 20-year-old city man, was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center where he was treated and released for non-life threatening injuries.

The shooting immediately sparked a joint investigation by this Office and the Asbury Park Police Department and revealed the victim was walking westbound in the 700 block of Sewall Avenue around 12:58 a.m. on Dec. 10, 2013, when he was approached by Bailey and shot. After being shot, the victim ran to the Asbury Park Fire Department.

Bailey is being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution on $750,000 bail with no ten percent option as set by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Mara Zazzali-Hogan, J.S.C.

During the course of Bailey’s arrest Wednesday, police seized a significant quantity of marijuana. He is charged by the Neptune Township police department with fourth degree possession of over 50 grams of marijuana and third degree possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance (marijuana). Judge Zazzali-Hogan set bail at $7,500, no ten percent on the drug charges.

If convicted of second degree attempted murder, Bailey faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in a New Jersey state prison, subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act”  requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. He would also be under parole supervision for five years following his release from state prison.

If convicted of either counts of possession of weapon for an unlawful purpose or unlawful possession of a weapon, Bailey faces three to five years in state prison without parole.

Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Decker.

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