18-year-old admits Labor Day stabbing on beach in Point Pleasant

An 18-year-old faces up to seven years in state prison after he admitted he stabbed two New York men on the beach in Point Pleasant during a fight over a girl on Labor Day last year.

Juwan Roman, 18, of Newark, pleaded guilty Thursday two counts of aggravated assault and a weapons offense, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office said.

Roman was 17 at the time of the fight on the beach at Jenkinson’s, but later agreed to be prosecuted as an adult in exchange from attempted murder charges being dropped.

“Mr. Roman is extremely remorseful for the actions he took last year and is grateful that this transgression did not cause any lasting serious harm,” his Tinton Fall-based attorney Joseph J. Compitello said.  “He acknowledges that it was a monumental lapse in judgment that is uncharacteristic of the positive choices he has made in his young life while growing up as a youth in Newark.”

Roman has been in custody at the Ocean County jail since being arrested following the stabbing, which took place around 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 7.

Roman, who had no prior criminal history according to his lawyer, is scheduled to be sentenced July 9.

The victims were 18 and 22 at the time of the stabbing and live in West Haverstraw, New York.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.