BARNEGAT – Two men were arrested and charged for supplying drugs to a woman which resulted in her death, authorities said.
Jeffrey Zachary, 56, and Ronald Zackery, 59, both of South River, were charged with Strict Liability Drug Induced Death in connection with the death of a 34-year-old woman in Barnegat Township on February 26.
On that day, police responded to a home where they found the unresponsive woman, already deceased from an apparent drug overdose. It was later determined that Jeffrey Zachary and Ronald Zackery had given her heroin/fentanyl.
On February 27, authorities performed a motor vehicle stop on Zachary where they searched his car and found quantities of crack cocaine. He was taken into custody without incident.
Detectives also searched Zachary’s home in South River and seized about 70 wax folds of heroin and quantities of crack cocaine.
Zachary was charged with Distribution of Heroin, Distribution of Crack Cocaine, two counts of Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute, three counts of Possession of Crack Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, two counts of Possession of Heroin, three counts of Possession of Crack Cocaine, and Conspiracy to Possess Heroin with Intent to Distribute. He was transported to the Ocean County Jail and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
Ronald Zackery was present at Jeffrey Zachary’s South River home at the time of the search on February 27; Zackery was taken into custody at the residence without incident, and charged with Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute, Possession of More than One Half Ounce but Less than Five Ounces of Crack Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Alprazolam with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Heroin, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Alprazolam, and Conspiracy to Possess Heroin with Intent to Distribute. Zackery was served with the charges via summons pending an upcoming first appearance in Ocean County Superior Court.
Further investigation and toxicology analysis recently confirmed the presence of heroin/fentanyl and cocaine in the victim’s system. The Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the heroin/fentanyl and cocaine found in the victim’s system was the cause of her death.
Subsequently, both Jeffrey Zachary and Ronald Zackery were charged with Strict Liability Drug Induced Death, and a warrant was issued for their arrest.
On April 23, both men were taken into custody at the home in South River without incident. Both defendants were transported to the Ocean County Jail, where they are presently lodged pending a detention hearing.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer commended the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Barnegat Township Police Department, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force, South River Police Department, and Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, for their combined and collective efforts in connection with this investigation.
The charges referenced above are merely accusations and the press and public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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