A former NJ state corrections officer will be spending time behind bars after he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault charges stemming from a shooting in Newark, New Jersey.

The suspect faces the criminal charges after being accused of shooting a 17-year-old girl on Leslie Street in June 2015. According to law enforcement, the suspect’s roommate came home and said that someone had fired a gun outside the house. The suspect allegedly grabbed his firearm and went looking for the shooter. The suspect then reportedly fired several gunshots, with one of the rounds striking the victim.

The teen victim survived the shooting, but Essex County NJ prosecutors said that she easily could have died. Prosecutors also referred to the shooting incident as a “senseless act of violence.”

The suspect was able to avoid trial in Essex County Superior Court by reaching a plea agreement with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. If the suspect had fought the charges in court, he would have been subject to weapons-related charges in addition to the aggravated assault charges.

Under the terms of the suspect’s plea deal, he will have to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for release on parole.

To learn more about this case, view the NJ.com article, “Former Corrections Officer Admits Shooting 17-Year-Old.”