A Monmouth County Grand Jury handed up a four count Indictment Wednesday, charging a Neptune man with selling drugs that led to the overdose death of a Long Branch resident back in May, said Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Jomell C. Brathwaite, 36, of Neptune, is charged with first degree Strict Liability for Drug Induced Deaths, third degree Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, third degree Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance and third degree Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance with Intent to Distribute, in connection with the sale of a heroin and fentanyl concoction that led to the overdose death of a 49-year old female from Long Branch.
Brathwaite was already being lodged in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution on other charges not pertaining to this incident.
Brathwaite’s victim was found by her boyfriend deceased on the morning of May 15, 2018.
The postmortem examination conducted by the Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office indicated that the cause of the victim’s death was “Acute Fentanyl and Heroin Toxicity.”
An investigation was launched into the death of the victim by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Long Branch Police Department. The investigation determined that Brathwaite had sold the lethal substance during the evening of May 14, 2018, at a local business located in Ocean Township.
If convicted of first degree Strict Liability for Drug Induced Deaths, Brathwaite faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in a New Jersey state prison without parole.
If convicted of third degree charges, each crime carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment.
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Competello.
Jomell Brathwaite is represented by Brian C. White, Esq., of Toms River
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
