On Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, John Thompson III, 36, of Galloway Township, NJ, was sentenced by the Honorable Daniel Kurkowski, J.S.C., to five years in New Jersey State Prison with a mandatory term of parole ineligibility of 42 months pursuant to the Graves Act. This sentence was a result of a plea agreement in which Thompson previously had pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose.
On June 30, 2025, Galloway Township Police officers, while investigating an unrelated matter, heard several gunshots in the area of 620 S. Simms Avenue. An injured male with a gunshot wound was located by officers nearby. While investigating for any additional victims, officers came upon the defendant’s home and tried to make contact with any occupants inside.
After receiving no response from inside the home, officers contacted Thompson by phone to request entry into the home and access to his outside camera to assist with their investigation. Thompson denied these requests.
Officers were granted search warrants for the residence and camera system to aid in the case. A shotgun was located within the home by officers while executing the search warrant. While reviewing the video footage from the defendant’s outdoor camera, officers observed the defendant on video with a shotgun in his possession. The defendant testified in Court that this shotgun was the same found in the home, and that he picked up the shotgun that night to use against someone outside his home. Officers also observed the defendant pursuing the same injured male found earlier on the lawn and then off camera, while the defendant had this shotgun.
