NJ man gets 41 years in prison for rape, robbery when he was 16

CAMDEN — John Gonzalez was 16 years old in 2011 when authorities say he and another man tried to rob a woman on the street, fatally shooting her when she didn’t have any money.

They then went on to create more mayhem, prosecutors said, breaking into a home and raping another victim.

Gonzalez was convicted in January and will be 52 years old when he is first eligible for parole after a Superior Court judge on Friday sentenced him to 41 years in prison for  second-degree burglary, armed robbery, aggravated sexual assault and weapons offenses. He was not convicted of murder.

Because of the seriousness of the crimes, Gonzalez was tried as an adult. The other defendant, Steven Alicea, who is now 23, will go to trial next month.

Both were arrested following the home invasion. Investigators said they tied them to the shooting of Lori Breiding, 38, because Breiding had survived for two days, long enough to tell police that the two were wearing red Rutgers and blue Cookie Monster hoodies — which they were still wearing when they were nabbed at the scene of the home invasion and sexual assault.

At trial, Assistant Prosecutor Peter Gallagher said both were carrying .22 caliber revolvers and that Breiding’s purse was found at the second crime scene.