Paterson Man Pleads Guilty in 2023 Little Egg Harbor Shooting

A Paterson man has admitted his role in a violent robbery that left a victim with multiple gunshot wounds in Little Egg Harbor Township nearly three years ago, bringing the case closer to resolution.

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Christopher Miller, 38, pleaded guilty on Saturday, June 1 before Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan to robbery charges stemming from the September 9, 2023 incident. The State will seek a sentence of 10 years in New Jersey State Prison when Miller returns for sentencing on August 21, 2026. The proposed sentence is subject to the No Early Release Act, requiring him to serve at least 85 percent of the term before becoming eligible for parole.

The violent encounter unfolded in the early morning hours of September 9, 2023, when officers were dispatched to a residence on East Hudson Drive at approximately 4:30 a.m. after reports of shots fired. Responding officers discovered a 36-year-old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Pomona for treatment and later released.

According to the investigation, the victim had visited Miller and co-defendant Marc Manfredonia, 34, of Little Egg Harbor, at the residence shortly before the violence erupted. Authorities determined that Miller and Manfredonia forced the victim from the home and demanded money.

Prosecutors said Miller displayed a handgun and threatened to shoot the victim if he did not transfer money through a mobile payment application. The victim complied and sent money to both men. When the defendants made additional demands for money and the victim refused, a physical altercation broke out.

During the confrontation, Miller allegedly fired four rounds, striking the victim in the leg, groin and ear. Both men continued assaulting the victim before retreating inside the residence. The wounded victim then fled to a nearby home and contacted police.

Miller and Manfredonia were arrested at the residence without incident and transported to the Ocean County Jail. Miller was later released under New Jersey's bail reform guidelines, while Manfredonia remained detained.

Manfredonia previously pleaded guilty to robbery on June 17, 2024. He was sentenced on August 9, 2024, to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison under the No Early Release Act.

Miller remains scheduled to be sentenced on August 21, 2026.