Lakewood Cop Shooter Sentenced to 45 Years

The Lakewood man convicted of shooting three township police officers in a 2009 firefight is sentenced to a maximum of 45 years in prison. Jaime Gonzalez, 43, will not be eligible for parole until he's served 29 1/2 years of the term.

Gonzalez was convicted in February on five attempted murder charges and and 22 related assault, weapons and drug counts in Ocean County Superior Court in Toms River.

According to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, Lakewood Patrolman John Wilson permanently lost the use of his left eye as a result of his injuries in the shootout. Sergeant Louis Sasso sustained a chest wound partially absorbed by a bulletproof vest. Lieutenant Greg Myer was shot in the foot.

Gonzalez was the subject of a no-knock warrant obtained on suspicion of ongoing drug activity centered in his dwelling. Investigators determined that when Gonzalez heard the entry team's battering ram at the Mackenzie Street location, he opened fire with a stolen .357 caliber handgun drawn from his waistband.