The group is charged in a string of home invasion-style armed robberies last year where suspects stole cash and marijuana from victims, including fellow students.
NEW BRUNSWICK -- Several former Rutgers football players and Rutgers students who were charged in a string of home invasion robberies appeared in Middlesex County Court on Friday as the case continues with discovery and plea-negotiating that will take it well into next year.
The group is charged in a string of home invasion robberies last year where some were armed and allegedly stole cash and marijuana from victims, including fellow students. Other defendants helped plan the robberies and one drove a getaway car, authorities said.
At Friday's hearing, Assistant Prosecutor Deborah Hay told Judge Dennis Nieves that new evidence about cell phone records will be used in the case.
"Additional discovery was sent out that I think will further strengthen the state's case, Judge," Hay said. "Essentially, what it is, your honor, is records that show us cell phone towers people are bouncing off of when they are placing calls."
Hay said the prosecution already has records of text messages that show defendants in the case using their cell phones before, during and after the incidents.
"At this point, we plan to plot on a map within a range of cell phone towers where people's phones were moving during these incidents," Hay said.
Among those defendants appearing were former Rutgers football players Andre Boggs, 21, of Coatesville, Pennsylvania; Lloyd Terry, 21, of Wrightstown; and Jamil Pollard, 22, of Woodbury. Another former player, Tejay Johnson, 24, of Egg Harbor Township, remains in the Middlesex County jail on $300,000 bail and did not appear at Friday's hearing.
Two other Rutgers students, Jianan Chen, 20, of New Brunswick, and Dylan Mastriana, 20, of Rio Grande, are accused of helping plan the robberies. Kaylanna Ricks, 21, of Perth Amboy, drove a getaway car in one unsuccessful robbery attempt, where the victims locked their door and prevented Johnson and Boggs from entering, authorities said.
Johnson has rejected a plea offer and plans to go to trial, the judge said. He said he was expecting a motion from Johnson regarding his statement to police and his cell phone records. Johnson is also charged in a separate case where authorities say he was part of an April 2015 assault over a parking space, which involved five other former Rutgers football players and left the victim with a broken jaw.
Several of the other defendant's cases could be affected by Johnson's, the judge said.
"Tejay Johnson is desirous of doing motions and going to trial," the judge said to Boggs' attorney, public defender Howard Barman. "How does that affect you and all the other defendants in this case? Gear that one up. I think that's the number one issue here."
Daniel Gonzalez, attorney for Ricks, reported that Ricks is still in school, has a 3.6 GPA and plans to go to graduate school. He said he hopes Johnson will exculpate Ricks by taking a plea and said there are no incriminating texts on Ricks' cell phone.
Hay countered that on Johnson's phone there were text messages to Ricks arranging payment for her driving and telling her where to go for the pick up.
"Beforehand, it was essentially a text from Miss Ricks asking 'Who you killing?'" Hays said. She said Johnson responded, "We ain't killing anybody. We just about that shmoney."
Howard Greenberg, attorney for Terry, told NJ Advance Media that he will "go to war in this case" if necessary.
"The defendant has a triable case in my humble opinion," Greenberg told the judge. "It boils down to this, if and when he goes to trial - he is either acting in concert or he is merely present."
Raymond Santiago, attorney for Pollard, said Pollard was denied admittance to pre-trial intervention (PTI) -- a probation program for first-time offenders that, if successfully completed, could result in charges being dropped from Pollard's record. Santiago told the judge he plans to appeal that decision.
Daniel Bak, 21, of Ridgefield, a housemate of Chen's, pleaded guilty today to drug possession and distribution charges and painted a picture of the marijuana selling partnership at the home they shared.
Another housemate, Dominick Chiang, 21, of New Brunswick, and Chen's girlfriend, Joyce Yi, 20, of Palisades Park, were also charged when officers discovered large quantities of cash and marijuana after executing a search warrant of the home in Sept. 2015, Hay said. Bak, Chiang and Yi were not charged with participating in the home invasion robberies, however.
The defendants are scheduled to return for the next hearing on Jan. 6.
Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.