Asbury Park Man Pleads Guilty To Witness Retaliation, Weapons Charges Tied To 2024 Murder Trial

Thursday, March 19, 2026, 7:45 P.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

FREEHOLD, NJ.- An Asbury Park man has admitted to attempting to intimidate a witness connected to a Monmouth County murder trial, as well as unlawfully possessing a handgun, according to an announcement Thursday by Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago.

     Jaisun Z. Brown, 21, of Asbury Park, New Jersey, entered guilty pleas Tuesday before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Joseph W. Oxley, admitting to one count of second-degree witness retaliation and one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. The weapons charge stems from a separate incident dated October 1, 2025, authorities said.

     According to prosecutors, the witness retaliation charge is tied to conduct that began in April 2025, following the sentencing phase of a defendant convicted in connection with a 2022 homicide case. That sentencing proceeding took place before Monmouth County Presiding Criminal Superior Court Judge Jill Grace O’Malley.

     Investigators with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Bureau determined that Brown engaged in a pattern of communications directed at, or publicly referencing, a key witness who had testified in the homicide trial. Authorities said those communications were “threatening or suggestively violent in nature,” raising concerns about the safety of the witness and the integrity of the judicial process.

     While prosecutors have not publicly detailed the full contents of the communications, officials emphasized that such actions undermine the administration of justice and can carry significant criminal penalties under New Jersey law.

     Witness retaliation, classified as a second-degree offense in this case, is considered a serious crime that involves attempts to harm, threaten, or intimidate individuals for their participation in legal proceedings. Similarly, unlawful possession of a handgun without the required permits is also a second-degree offense under state statutes.

     As part of the plea agreement, the State has indicated it will seek a sentence of five years in New Jersey State Prison for the witness-retaliation conviction. For the weapons offense, prosecutors will pursue a concurrent or consecutive term of three years, including a mandatory one-year period of parole ineligibility.

     Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, May 15, in Monmouth County Superior Court.

     The case underscores ongoing efforts by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office to address not only violent crime but also conduct that threatens witnesses and the judicial system itself. Authorities have repeatedly stressed that intimidation of witnesses will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted to preserve the fairness and safety of criminal proceedings.

Editor’s Note:

This report was written by Art Fletcher and is based on official statements released by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and court proceedings conducted in Monmouth County Superior Court. As of publication, sentencing has not yet occurred, and all outcomes remain subject to final judicial determination.