Authorities say Camden man sold heroin to a 35-year-old man who later died of an overdose
The following report is on file with the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office:
Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said that a Camden drug dealer was recently sentenced to 12 years in New Jersey state prison on homicide and other charges for causing the death of a Burlington Township man who bought heroin from him in April 2017 and fatally overdosed on the drug.
Jose LaPorte, 25, must serve more than 10 years of the term before becoming eligible for parole.
Prosecutor Coffina, who handled the sentencing hearing, argued for a 15-year term, telling Judge Jeanne T. Covert that it is necessary to “increase the cost of doing business for . . . drug dealers,” and “send a message that there will be severe consequences for carelessly dealing poison that is causing so many to die.”
LaPorte was found guilty in January by a jury on charges of Strict Liability for Drug-Induced Death (First Degree), Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (Third Degree), two counts of Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance with Intent to Distribute (Third Degree), and Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (Third Degree).
The minimum sentence LaPorte could have received was 10 years. Judge Covert indicated when handing down the 12-year term that her decision took into consideration that LaPorte did not have any previous criminal history.
The investigation revealed that Sung Han, 35, fatally overdosed in the early morning hours of April 12, 2017, in his Burlington Township home. The investigation further determined that Han had purchased the heroin from LaPorte.
“Law enforcement agencies across the county are now commonly approaching overdose cases as crime scenes and working aggressively to develop evidence to bring the dealers to justice,” Prosecutor Coffina said.
The case against Jose LaPorte was investigated by the Burlington Township Police Department and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office High-Tech Crimes Unit, with assistance from the Willingboro Township Police Department. The lead investigator was Burlington Township Police Detective Anthony Fontana.
