N.J. man charged in robbery, carjacking pleads not guilty

Jerrold May plead not guilty to nine counts relating to the May 23, 2014, incident.

FRANKLIN -- A man facing nine charges, including robbery and carjacking, plead not guilty Friday in Somerset County Superior Court.

Jerrold May

Jerrold May, 20, of Piscataway, was indicted on nine counts in the bizarre May 23, 2014 incident during which he allegedly snatched a woman's purse, showed up at her home later that night and attacked her son, and returned again, this time stealing her Acura RDX by driving it through a closed garage door.

Assistant prosecutor Anthony Parenti has offered a plea deal of 18 years with 85 percent served without parole eligibility.

Judge Kathy C. Qasim set June 10 as the next court date.

On May 23, a then 58-year-old Franklin Township woman called 911 to report that her purse was snatched from her while she was exiting a supermarket at the Somerset Plaza in the township, it was previously reported.

CVS store manager, partner indicted

The woman immediately made arrangements to have the locks on her exterior door changed at her Timber Hill Drive residence.

But, at approximately 11:15 p.m. that night, the victim's then-32-year-old son, who was visiting, exited the home through the garage door and was reportedly confronted by May, according to authorities.

May allegedly assaulted the son with a blunt object, but the victim was able to get back into the home through the garage door and shut it. May reportedly initially left the area on a bicycle, but returned, kicked in a garage door panel and stole a 2011 burgundy Acura RDX, backing it through the closed garage door, according to authorities.

Four days later, May was arrested after being found by Franklin police allegedly driving the stolen Acrua without a rear license plate, authorities reported.

May has been indicted on first-degree robbery, first-degree carjacking, three counts of second-degree armed robbery, third-degree aggravated assault, third-degree theft, third-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose and fourth-degree possession possession of an unlawful weapon - brass knuckles.

He's being held in Somerset County Jail on $150,000 cash-only bail.

Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.