An Atlantic City teen's "reprehensible" juvenile history helped convince a judge to keep him in jail Thursday.
It was Williams' first adult arrest, his defense attorney pointed out.
"The defendant doesn't have an adult record," Assistant Prosecutor Harlee Stein said, pointing out that he's only 18. "However, his juvenile record is quite reprehensible."
She then listed at least four robbery adjudications, along with multiple aggravated assaults, simple assault, assaults with a deadly weapon and weapons offenses in the juvenile system.
His criminal history dates to 2019, Stein said.
"I can't say anything about his juvenile history," defense attorney Maya Rex told the judge. "We all see it. It's there."
She instead let her client read a letter he wrote to the court.
"Only the truth, your honor," Williams said as he was sworn in.
"I know the charges against me are serious and this is not a joke," he read. "But this is my first charge, and I don't want this to mess up my future. I want to be rich/wealthy by 25, and take care of me and mine."
He mentioned his disabled mother, who he said helps care for, and that he had been doing well.
Judge William Todd Miller said he appreciated the letter, and believed it as genuine.
"He seemed very contrite," the judge said of Williams. "He seemed like he's looking for a second chance."
But he questioned how much help he was to his mother, considering his lengthy juvenile record that covers the four years before he turned 18 in February.
"So if he was really concerned about his mother's welfare, he certainly was getting in a lot of trouble, which would not have made his mother proud of him," Miller said as Williams bowed his head.
The judge also question the public safety assessment, a six-point system that helps determine whether a defendant is held pretrial under bail reform.
He scored low with a recommendation for release. The judge said the numbers indicated Williams' significant juvenile criminal history was not included.
The judge also noted that the teen's criminal history has not continued into adulthood, with him on the street with a "ghost gun," a weapon made with no serial number so it cannot be traced.
"Why do you have a ghost gun? Where are you going with it? What are you doing with it?" he asked. "Do you intend to shoot somebody? Do you intend to retaliate against somebody? Is there a drug deal that's gone bad and you didn't get your money and you're going to shoot somebody?"
The judge did note that the defense's questions about what information police received about Williams' gun possession could be raised in a probable cause motion.
But for now, "I have a job to protect the community," he said, ordering Williams to remain in jail.
