COURT HOUSE – Former Cape May City Councilman Chris Bezaire was sentenced March 18 to 45 days minus credit for the 13 days he already served in the Cape May County Correctional Facility.
The 32 remaining days will most likely be served without any further confinement or jail time. Bezaire will most likely be required to wear a monitoring device.
Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury sentenced Bezaire on two fourth-degree offenses to which he pleaded guilty in September. Bezaire was originally charged with cyber harassment, invasion of privacy, stalking, and contempt, related to an ex-girlfriend. Later, additional charges were brought concerning the harassment of a second woman.
Bezaire was arrested June 16, just months after taking office as a member of City Council. He served 13 days in the county jail. No grand jury was ever presented with the case due to a plea agreement in which Bezaire pleaded guilty to the stalking and contempt charges in exchange for removing the other alleged offenses.
In so doing, Bezaire avoided indictment on a third-degree charge, which would’ve resulted in the automatic loss of his council seat and put him at risk for a three- to five-year sentence of incarceration if convicted.
At the time of Bezaire’s arrest, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland emphasized the seriousness of the crimes and the potential for significant incarceration in a press release. Sutherland’s office did not respond to questions about the plea arrangement when it was agreed to.
On social media, some expressed disappointment at the sentence. The final sentence was called “a slap on the wrist” by one of the women Bezaire was accused of harassing. Another woman who posted to the Impeach Chris Bezaire Facebook page said, “I’m amazed that violence against women is still seen as a minor offense.”
Bezaire is to report to the county jail by March 25 for the installation of the monitoring device. At the sentencing, DeLury said it was at the discretion of the Sheriff’s Office to allow an electronic ankle bracelet as opposed to confinement.
