Convicted NJ stalker gets prison after relentless harassment

🔶NJ man violated restraining order repeatedly

🔶After fight, man urged victim to drop charges

🔶Convicted offender gets lengthy prison term

A 50-year-old Long Branch man has been sentenced to an extended term of 10 years in state prison in connection with the assault of a female victim and continued harassment despite a restraining order against him, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced.

Brett Roach, Sr., had previously been convicted on charges of disorderly persons simple assault, third-degree witness tampering, third-degree stalking and fourth-degree contempt.

After an August jury trial, Roach was sentenced in Monmouth County Superior Court last month.

Eatontown police responded to a report of a domestic dispute at Stony Hill Road on Jan. 27, 2023.

Responding officers learned that there had been a verbal dispute that became physical and once police were called, the defendant fled the scene.

The victim in the case was granted a temporary restraining order — and when Roach returned to the home the next day, he was arrested.

From there, he was held in Monmouth County Jail pending trial.

Over the next two and a half months alone, he contacted the victim over a hundred times — by phone, through third parties and via mail, all in violation of the restraining order.

Roach repeatedly urged the victim to drop the order and the charges.

Instead of a two-stage trial on additional counts of the indictment, he ultimately pleaded guilty to third-degree stalking and fourth-degree contempt.

The stalking charge was elevated from fourth-degree to third-degree, due to the harassment.

The judge granted the State’s motion for a discretionary extended-term motion, so that Roach was eligible to be sentenced in the second-degree range.

He also faces a two-year period of parole ineligibility.

“Persons restrained by court orders must abide by these lawful orders, especially in matters of domestic violence. The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and our local law enforcement partners shall seek to enforce these restraining orders and provide the protection these victims deserve during the critical times when they seek to separate from those that do harm.” Santiago said in a written release.

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