Darrick Mallory Jr.
An Atlantic City man who failed to show up to his sentencing wound up with a term two years less than he could have faced.
Darrick Mallory Jr., 29, pleaded guilty in December to third-degree possession of narcotics and possession with intent to distribute in an agreement that wrapped up three separate cases.
He faced a four-year term under the agreement.
The judge released Mallory following his plea, despite the state's objections. He then did not show up for sentencing in March.
As a result, he could have faced the maximum of five years in prison under the plea agreement that included a clause known as "no show, no rec," which means that not showing up basically forfeits the shortened term of the plea.
Mallory turned himself in last month.
At his sentencing Wednesday, Assistant Prosecutor Jasmine Ostrow argued for more than the four years originally agreed to under the plea deal, while public defender Kevin Moses argued for probation.
Judge Jeffrey Waldman sentenced Mallory to three years, one year less than the original plea agreement and two years less than he could have faced.
Mallory was arrested Feb. 16, 2024, when Atlantic City police conducting surveillance in the area of Kentucky and Atlantic avenues saw Mallory distributing drugs, according to the state.
Police stopped him and found him in possession of cocaine.
He was arrested four months later after an unrelated incident in the 1700 block of Atlantic Avenue. When police searched him at that time, they found oxycodone without a valid prescription.
The third case happened Aug. 1, 2024, when Mallory again was seen distributing drugs in the 1700 block of Atlantic Avenue. Police found hims with 100 wax folds of heroin.
Mallory remains in the Atlantic County Justice Facility awaiting transfer to state prison, where he may join his father who was recently transferred from the county jail to serve a 10-year prison sentence following his plea in a case where he was found with a pound of cocaine.
