Freehold Man Convicted For The 2023 Gunpoint Robbery & Attempted Sexual Assault

Monday, February 9, 2026, 7:30 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

MANALAPAN TOWNSHIP, NJ.- On Thursday, February 5, 2026, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago reported that a 48-year-old Freehold Borough, New Jersey, man convicted at trial for the 2023 violent gunpoint attempted sexual assault and robbery of a 19-year-old woman in Manalapan Township, New Jersey, park.

     Following a two-week trial in Monmouth County Superior Court before Superior Court Judge Paul X. Escandon, a jury found Anthony Burke, 48, of Freehold, New Jersey, guilty of first-degree Attempted Aggravated Sexual Assault; first-degree Armed Robbery; second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon; and second-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose.

     Following the jury returning their findings of guilt, Judge Escandon accepted the verdict and scheduled sentencing for Monday, May 18, 2026. At that time, due to Burke’s prior criminal history and the jury finding him to be a repeat offender, Burke faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to life in New Jersey State Prison.

     The conviction stems from an investigation that began on August 14, 2023, when, shortly before 10:00 p.m., members of the Manalapan Township Police Department responded to a 911 Emergency Call reporting an armed robbery at Thompson Grove Park in the Township. Upon arrival, Police Officers located a victim who reported that an unknown man had forced his way into her car, robbing and attempting to sexually assault her at gunpoint.

     After the unknown male suspect took her phone, keys, and cash, the victim was able to free herself and flee to a nearby residence for help. An investigation involving witness statements, a composite sketch of the perpetrator, law enforcement surveillance, cellular phone analysis, digital forensic analysis, and vehicle location analysis ultimately led to Burke being identified as the assailant.

     Prosecutor Santiago commended the investigative work of the Manalapan Township Police Department, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Bureau, Special Victims and High Tech Bureaus, and the Freehold Borough Police Department, with assistance from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office and the New Jersey State Police, which led to the successful prosecution of Burke.