Armed and Dangerous Attorney At-Large Was Sued for Sexual Harassment by Employee, Reports Say
MONTCLAIR, NJ – James R. Ray, III is wanted in connection with the murder of his child’s mother, Angela Bledsoe.
Law enforcement officials announced on Tuesday that they are searching for Ray, the 55-year-old New York entertainment attorney. Ray is suspected of fatally shooting his child’s mother on Monday in Montclair, 44-year-old Bledsoe.
Bledsoe was pronounced dead at her home in the 300 block of North Mountain Avenue in Montclair at 1:17 am Tuesday.
Yesterday, at approximately 11:48 p.m. Montclair Police received a call to make a wellness check at the home. When they arrived, they discovered the victim suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities stated.
According to the website of Ray’s Park Avenue law firm, Ray & Associates, he is also a “former boxing promoter, restaurant owner, and college professor.”
In a lawsuit filed in 2013, Ray is alleged to have asked one of his paralegals to be his “third wife,” according to documents filed in a sexual harrassment lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court.
Sabrina Rafi, claimed in her lawsuit that her boss at the time, Ray, had told her he had several wives and repeatedly spoke about porn to her, according to the New York Post.
Rafi worked at Ray & Associates as a paralegal at the time of her suit. Several months after being hired, she described being invited out to dinner with Ray at a Korean restaurant and stated that Ray asked her if she’d like to become his third wife and insisted that she feed him with chopsticks.
Rafi alleged, in her suit, that she ran out of the restaurant after he started talking about lesbian porn.
When she returned to work, she told the Post that she began to wear layers of clothing to work. “I actually felt sick working for him,” she told the Post.
Ray is also known for testifying in 2016 in the high-profile case against rapper Nicki Minaj’s brother, according to NY Newsday. According to Newsday, Ray demanded $25M from Minaj’s brother, Jelani Miraj, to settle a rape allegation case. He was then dismissed from the case by the victim’s family for his approach.
Authorities are charging James R. Ray, III, with murder and weapons offenses.
Ray and Bledsoe lived together in Montclair and had a child in common. The child is in the care of family members.
Ray remains at-large. He is believed to be armed and dangerous. Ray is believed to be driving a black BMW 328i, four-door with New Jersey license plate ZNX68M.
These are accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they enter a guilty plea or are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.