Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Charles Rice, 58, of Lacey Township, was sentenced today by the Honorable Rochelle Gizinski, J.S.C., to seven years New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) as a result of a guilty plea to Manslaughter in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:11-4. Rice must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before he may be considered for parole eligibility pursuant to the No Early Release Act, N.J.S.A. 2C:43-7.2. Additionally, Rice was sentenced by Judge Gizinski to six years NJSP with a three-year period of parole ineligibility as a result to his guilty plea to Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(1) and N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(3). The sentences will run concurrently. Rice pled guilty to both charges on December 9, 2019.
On Sunday, April 21, 2019, Berkeley Township Police were summoned to a residence for a report of an unresponsive male who was pronounced dead at the scene. An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and the Berkeley Township Police Department Detective Bureau revealed that Rice had sold the victim a mixture of heroin and fentanyl — the ingestion of which was determined to be the cause of the victim’s death.
“This particular defendant sold heroin that contained fentanyl, which ultimately caused the victim’s death. We have been very clear that we will continue to arrest and prosecute individuals that pedal illegal and sometimes deadly narcotics in Ocean County,” Prosecutor Billhimer stated.
Prosecutor Billhimer would like to acknowledge the diligent efforts of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Meghan O’Neill who ably handled the case on behalf of the State. Prosecutor Billhimer likewise extends his gratitude to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Victim/Witness Advocacy Unit, Berkeley Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit for their collaborative assistance resulting in Rice’s lengthy prison sentence.
Looks 78
????
Not long enough…
The Narcan Express has been an epic disaster. Sussex County reported a 175% increase in OD deaths last month. It’s getting worse not better. These junkies need to find new hobbies other than keeping dealers in business
Christopher John Karbownik like posting on Facebook pages?
Christopher John Karbownik it’s not NarcAn causing an increase in overdoses… maybe it’s because they are lacing what people think is heroin with fentynal!
Your thinking says they do it on purpose.
Wtf 7 years for killing someone! The system is really Fucked up!!
Too bad the people who decide (Yes decide) to inject heroin into themselves on their own aren’t held accountable whatsoever….
Patrick Brennan maybe some are but they died..
Patrick Brennan you are always in here bashing addicts. You actually don’t have a fucking clue as to what
You are
Talking about!
Annette Crawford Hall Thanks for your opinion. They’re just like assholes, everyone has one. ????????????
Patrick Brennan I agree, but how do these dealers get away so easy?! They should all be held accountable!!
Debbie Mancini Whose gonna give them up? The overdosed client? Not like the junkies buy and shoot up with the dealer. ????♂️
Patrick Brennan I’m with you the sole responsibility remains with the person who chooses to do the drug.im not an anti narcan or addiction is a choice advocate but charging the dealer with murder is just a political strategy to get votes , it does nothing to slow drug use or dealers down , is every dealer who gets it from someone else who got it from someone else supposed to test it out first and if they survive then it’s ok to sell ?
Thats it? POS
Yet we still dont see the post for the RISE UP OCEAN COUNTY FOUNDER who Again pled guilty of fraud and is serving 60 days and 2 years probation? Why isn’t that here with other arrest and convictions?
Angel Helene Cooper if he wore a yarmulke we’d never have even heard of his alleged crimes.
Andy Nemec I’m not for or against the page. My point is simply Be fair. We’ve seen on here That if it’s a friend they’re treated different. My opinion is if you’re going to post the rest, don’t leave one off. Especially when it’s a Person who’s known. To me It’s no different than posting 100 narcans and overdoses. But if it’s your family member you leave it Off. It is bull crap. Don’t be bias.
Angel Helene Cooper who cares. Move on
Mark Zambella ???????????? you move on
Another bullshit law.
If he didn’t stick the needle in him, then he didn’t kill him.
HOW ABOUT SOME PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY ?
SMH The guy probably even knew beforehand that it had fentanyl in it as many are looking for that.
Andy Nemec ok so let him off the hook for being a drug dealer?
Andy Nemec you’re defending the dope dealer?
……..
We don’t do that here
Andy Nemec how about some sympathy for the family of the person who passed away?
Andy Nemec maybe some education on addiction and heroin as well. Drug dealers regularly cut all kinds of street drugs, not just heroin, with it and don’t tell their customers. Actually most make it a point NOT to tell them. Due to the fact that if they die, they can face time. You sound incredibly ignorant and disrespectful to the family and loved ones of the deceased.
Andy Nemec I don’t think it’s a bullshitt law. I mean if I’m your bartender and you asked me for a drink and I slipped something in it and you have a reaction do we get to say I didn’t force you to drink that?
I don’t think drug dealer should be responsible for people’s drug overdoses. If they sell what they’re saying, they’re selling to a person who was an adult making the wrong stupid choices. But when a dealer puts poison, Or something that could be deadly into something. Without telling you or the dealer sells it to a child who cannot consent to make their own stupid decisions. Then I think that there needs to be accountability.
Angel Helene Cooper wow just fucking wow!!
Show me an honest drug dealer. Wtf is wrong with you
Annette Crawford Hall wtf is wrong with yourself? She didn’t say shit about honest drug dealer. She said if they give drugs to kids or if they add shit without telling people they should be charged with murder. “Wow just fucking wow”. It was accurate and not hard to understand
Sharon Werth haha!!! Don’t bother. People hear what they want. thanks though. I’m not offended by strangers LOL.
Annette Crawford Hall yes there’s no honest dealer so the user is risking that what he may do may kill him . I think he should be charged but not for murder, or manslaughter, for dealing drugs. What are we going to do next put a warning label on all illegal drugs like cigarettes, if you do this you may die ? I’m
Lengthy prison sentence????
How is 7 years and 6 years concurrently a lengthy sentences for being involved with someone’s death due to illegal deadly drugs ?
How is that lengthy?
Awesome! Now please lock up all the rest of the loser dealers to now!
Not even close to long enough!
I’m sure he knew it was laced….cmon now. Wtf u think hes testing this shit?
Why let him out lock him up throw away the key ????
Peter Destefano yes, and inject him with his drugs
The fuckn guy is dealing deadly drugs please don’t let him out. He’ll be back on the streets doing the same crap. And maybe the next time he’ll kill 3 or 4 people with his drugs get him out of here. Don’t release him ever. Or better yet give him a hot dose when he’s in jail. Then we won’t have to worry about him coming out a better criminal then he was before. He’s going to a place where he will get better at what he was doing learning from the pros