Charges Brought In Morris County Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Case

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ - A 31-year-old Paterson man is facing a first degree strict liability for drug-induced death charge, according to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

The charge against Quamaine T. King arises from a fatal drug overdose which occurred in Riverdale on Jan. 10, authorities said.

On Jan. 10, law enforcement responded to a 911 report of an unresponsive man 23-year-old man in the bathroom of Target in Riverdale. The man identified as M.R. was pronounced dead at the scene and the Morris County Medical Examiner’s Office certified the cause of death as fentanyl and heroin intoxication, authorities said.

Authorities allege that King distributed heroin and fentanyl to M.R. on Jan. 10 in Paterson and that M.R.’s death resulted from his ingestion of these substances, distributed by King to M.R..

King has been charged with strict liability for drug-induced death. This statute provides that any person who manufactures, distributes or dispenses any number of controlled dangerous substances is strictly liable for a death that results from the injection, inhalation, or ingestion of that substance. This is a first-degree crime, which is punishable by up to 20 years in New Jersey State Prison and is subject to the 85 percent parole ineligibility requirements of the No Early Release Act.

“Each day we are losing entirely too many members of our community to drug overdoses, and drug-related deaths have only increased due to the multi-faceted challenges posed by COVID-19," Acting Prosecutor Robert Carroll said. “It is essential that the community is aware of the law and support our resolve to enforce it in order to protect the citizens of Morris County. Let this be a warning to drug dealers that they are taking an enormous risk with every fold of heroin they distribute.”

King was previously charged in January with drug-related offenses stemming from this investigation, authorities said. In accordance with the Criminal Justice Reform Act, King has been detained in the Morris County Correctional Facility pending future court proceedings.

If anyone has any information related to this investigation, they are encouraged to call the Major
Crimes Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at 973-285-6200.

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