An Atlantic City man who killed a middle-schooler when he was a teen is headed to prison after pleading guilty to a gun charge.
Jerome Ford, now 25, was just 14 when he shot into a group of teens Jan. 8, 2014, killing 13-year-old Angel Mercado-Santiago, who was walking home from the Pennsylvania Avenue School.
A high school student was wounded.
His attorney at the time said evidence would prove it didn't rise to murder. A motion by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office to have him waived up to be tried as an adult was denied by then-Family Court Judge Michael Blee.
Ford was arrested again Feb. 22, 2020, after members of the State Police Atlantic City Task Force stopped a car where he was a passenger, and found a loaded .38 Rohm Gesellschaft Derringer Special handgun in his waistband.
He pleaded guilty in an "open plea," meaning there was no agreement on his sentence, which was at the judge's discretion.
Ford was sentenced to five years, and must serve 3½ years before he is eligible for parole.
He still has a pending attempted murder case.
While on release in this case, Ford allegedly shot Arrod Moore and Rashad Stephens while they were sitting in a vehicle in the Cedar Market on Pennsylvania Avenue, at about 9:30 a.m. May 13, 2022.
A 9mm semi-automatic handgun and a .40-caliber handgun were used, according to the charges.
Moore, who works for the city's anti-violence unit, was wounded in the leg. Stephens was struck in the hand.
Ford — who was still on probation for the 2014 killing at that time — was charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault and weapons offenses.
He previously was listed as living in Mays Landing.
