Pleasantville man gets 43 years in carjacking that killed Somers Point man

A Pleasantville man was sentenced to 43 years in the fatal shooting of a Somers point man during a 2021 carjacking.

Jermaine Wharton, now 33, was on probation with four pending charges when he shot 41-year-old Ivan Smith in Pleasantville on Nov. 13, 2021, and took his vehicle to Millville.

A jury in February convicted him of murder, felony murder, carjacking, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and possession of a handgun without a permit.

Wharton faced a maximum of 30 years in prison, but due to his status as a persistent offender, he was given an extended term, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office.

A ShotSpotter alert brought Pleasantville police to the 900 block of North Main Street at 9:19 a.m. Nov. 13, 2021.

Ivan Smith, 41, was pronounced dead at the scene.

It was discovered that Wharton was unsuccessful in trying to break into a witness' car, and then approached Smith and his vehicle. A short time later, there was a gunshot.

Wharton was given probation months before the killing, after pleading guilty to a gun charge in a case where he allegedly threatened a family member.

He must now serve at least 85 percent of his sentence, or 36½ years, before he is eligible for parole. He has been jailed more than two years and three months.