Newark man, three others sentenced for 2011 Monmouth home invasions

A Newark man and his three accomplices have been sentenced to several years if not decades in prison for their roles in separate 2011 home invasions in Freehold and Howell, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni.

Richard Busby, 61, formerly of Newark, was sentenced to 60 years in prison for his role in a July 31, 2011 home invasion robbery and arson in Freehold.

The Honorable Paul Escandon, J.S.C. sentenced Busby, who must serve a minimum of 30 years before he is eligible for parole.

Busby has an extensive prior criminal history, beginning with a conviction for Armed Robbery and related offenses in 1978, and to date he has amassed eleven prior felony convictions.

He was found guilty, following a jury trial in September, of Felony Murder, Robbery and Attempted Murder.

In the early morning hours of July 31, 2011, Busby and his accomplice Jeffery Mayhue broke into the Jackson Mills Road home shared by Michael Conway and Cheri Plamondon.

Conway and Plamondon were held at gunpoint, and bound with zip-ties while the intruders searched their home for money, marijuana and other items of value.

Conway was able to break free during the robbery and struggled with the intruders but was then shot and killed.

The intruders made quick work of the home by setting it on fire before fleeing.

Plamondon was later able to free herself and escape the burning building.

A joint investigation including detectives from the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office and members of the Freehold Township Police Department was then conducted and led to the arrests of Mayhue and Busby.

Mayhue has since pled guilty to first degree charges of Armed Robbery and Felony Murder and on September 7, 2016, Mayhue was sentenced to 30 years in prison and must serve 30 years before being eligible for parole.

Subsequent to Mayhue’s plea, charges were signed against additional accomplices Ellis Goodson, 41, of Neptune and Ranu Sinha, 39, of Freehold.

In connection with the Freehold invasion, Goodson and Sinha each pled guilty to a charge of Armed Robbery, in the first degree and pled guilty to an additional charge of Armed Robbery in the first degree.

The additional charges stem from a separate home invasion robbery on May 14, 2011 at a residence on Brickyard Road in Howell.

Investigators say Mayhue entered the residence with a handgun, bound the occupants and stole a large sum of money.

Goodson and Sinha were charged and subsequently pled guilty to being accomplices to the planning of that robbery.

Busby was not charged in connection with the May 14, 2011 incident.

The Howell Police Department assisted the Prosecutors Office in connection with this investigation.

In separate proceedings, held today, Goodson and Sinha were also sentenced.

Goodson was sentenced to 13.5-years in prison by the Honorable Joseph Oxley, J.S.C. in Freehold.

His sentence is subject to the No Early Release Act requiring him to serve 85% of his sentence before being eligible for parole and a mandatory period of parole supervision after release.

Sinha was sentenced to 10-years in prison by the Honorable Paul Escandon, J.S.C.

Her sentence is likewise subject to the No Early Release Act, requiring her to serve 85% of her sentence before being eligible for parole and a mandatory period of parole supervision after release.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutors Sean J. Brennan and Lawrence Nelsen.

Busby was represented by John Perrone, Esq.  Goodson was represented by Patrice Bearden, Esq. Sinha was represented by Edward Bertucio, Esq.

Prosecutor Gramiccioni credits the resolution of these cases to the strength of the victims and the strong collaboration between the Prosecutor’s Office and the Freehold Township, Howell and Neptune Township Police Departments.

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