JERSEY CITY -- The state made a plea offer today that would mean decades in prison for a Bayonne man charged with fatally shooting a man in the Jersey City Heights in July.

Pete Ruiz, 38, of Avenue A, stood at the defense table when Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Zuppa said the state would be willing to enter into a plea deal with Ruiz if he pleaded guilty to murder and agreed to serve a 30-year prison term with no chance of parole.

Ruiz, who was arrested without incident at a residence in Passaic at 11:45 p.m. on July 7, is charged with gunning down 34-year-old Orlando Flores two days earlier in Jersey City. The victim was found in front of 22 Fleet St. on July 6 with one gunshot wound. He was taken to Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 2:45 a.m., officials said.

According to the criminal complaint, probable cause for the charges included, "Text messages between the defendant and victim at approximately 11:44 p.m. to meet at St. Pauls (Avenue) and Concord (Avenue)."

That night, Flores was found fatally wounded about a block away from the location. The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office believes the shooting was the result of a long-standing personal dispute.

The complaint states that Flores was found with "shotgun wounds to the back and leg" and that a witness heard three gunshots and then saw Ruiz enter a van carrying a shotgun. Three spent shell casings were found at the crime scene, according to the court document.

Ruiz is being held on a $1 million cash only bail and he was ordered to surrender any travel documents he may have.

The crime of murder carries a possible sentence of 30 years to life in prison upon conviction. Ruiz is also charged with two second-degree firearms offenses that each carry possible sentences of five to 10 years in prison upon conviction.

When Ruiz made his first court appearance on the charges, Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Michael D'Andrea said he is a repeat offender and may be eligible for an extended sentence if convicted.

Ruiz appeared before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mark Nelson in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City this morning. He is represented by attorney Roy Greenman.

At today's hearing, Greenman said he has not yet been able to listen to a witness statement because he has not been able open the CD it is on. He also noted that there may be a self defense element in the case.

The defense's counter offer would have Ruiz plead guilty to manslaughter and serve an eight-year prison term. The next hearing in the matter is set for April 11 before Nelson.